Never Even Called Me by My Name
by Coledhearted
Summary: When the New Orleans Thieves Guild finds themselves over their heads when dealing with the infamous X-men, they enlist the assistance of a suspicious, but necessary ally. In a game of theft, deceit and all out brawls, can anyone truly be trusted? Will Remy soon discover that the game isn't nearly as fun when you lose? (Romy)
1. Lousiana Woman, Mississippi Man

1\. LOUISIANA WOMAN, MISSISSIPPI MAN (or something like that)

Remy LeBeau strolled through the front door of his usual haunt like he owned the place. Technically, through a shell company and an alias that he would deny, he did. That night was his first night back in New Orleans after a not so extensive stay elsewhere. More specifically, he had been out of town on official Thieves Guild business, any more details than that and things wouldn't end well for the parties involved. Plausible- deniability, preventable narking- call it whatever you wanted.

The bar infamously known as the Cellar was, for all intents and purposes, a dive bar. The lighting was dingy, the floor was sticky, the crowds were questionable and Remy loved absolutely every second of it.

The bar itself encompassed an old warehouse, which left plenty of space for a completely stocked bar, a smoky backroom that hosted many a underground poker game, a caged in area for illegally sanctioned fights, various small stages that boasted sliver poles and scantily clad women and, of course, music loud enough in particular spots to deafen someone or conveniently interfere with any unwelcome listening devices.

Surveying the space around him, Remy noticed a crowd of people surrounding the caged arena. He paused at the bar, but focused his attention over toward the group with a sparkling curiosity.

Pierce, the barkeep, was a dark-skinned man in his late sixties who was still in good shape and had a full head of silver hair. He was also the best damn barkeep Remy had ever seen. Pierce wasted no time handing Remy his usual drink without so much as a word being exchanged between them. Remy nodded his thanks and motioned over to the crowd with his head.

"Somet'ing goin' on?" he asked with intrigue.

Pierce shrugged, "Gotta new fighter. Ain' lost a match yet."

Remy made a face," How long dis been goin' on?"

"Since yo' left." Pierce said offhandedly, cleaning out a glass with a rag as he smirked at some unheard joke.

"Mebbe I oughtta change dat." Remy muttered, downing his drink and smacking it against the bar.

Pierce chuckled, refilling Remy's drink, "When yo' get a look at dis brawler de las' t'ing yo' gonna wanna do is fight 'em."

Remy scoffed as if Pierce had just insulted his honor (if he had any), "You t'ink I'm scared o' some big homme?"

Pierce held up his hands, trying and failing to swallow the smirk on his lips, "Why don'tca go up dere an' show 'em what'ca made outta den... Oh, by de way, de big guy's name is Duke."

Remy eyed Pierce suspiciously as he left the barkeep and his newly refilled drink at the bar.

With Pierce's laughter ringing in Remy's ears, he edged his way through the crowd. Remy could have moved through the crowd with a liquid motion, but instead he chose to shove people out of his way, to make his presence known. Occasionally, men would turn around disgruntledly and looking for a fight of their own, only to be met with the dangerous glow of Remy's red eyes. Once they caught sight of his ominous eyes, they would turn back around and quietly move out of his way.

Once Remy was at the front of the mass of people, he finally understood what all the fuss was about. The man was huge. He was practically a blob of a person, taking up at least an eighth of the arena. Duke had an intimidating presence, to the average person that is. Apart from his sheer size, Remy was overall unimpressed with Duke.

Duke's opponent, however...

It was obvious that the crowd wasn't there for Duke. No, they were definitely there for his opponent. Said opponent was small and even looked a tad frail, clad in a formfitting black cat suit that left very little to the imagination. Duke's opponent had a gloved right hand and a bare left, save for some strategically placed tape over the wrist area up to the palm and some more tape wrapped around the skin between the knuckle and the metacarpal.

Remy's eyes widened as he took in the two blatant reasons why the few morals he had would not allow him to challenge the reigning champion.

Remy watched in awe as the woman bobbed and weaved around everything that Duke threw at her. In fact, Duke never even grazed a finger against the green bandana that was wrapped around her head. Remy presumed that it was to keep her hair at bay.

In one swift motion, the woman jumped into the air and round house kicked Duke with such force that he stumbled backwards, barely catching himself at the last second. As Duke started to regain his balance, the woman honed in with a right jab and followed it with a finalizing cross. When her bare knuckles scrapped across Duke's face, he collapsed to the ground like a rug had been ripped out from under him.

The horde of people went wild as the woman smirked down at Duke's unconscious form with a twinkle of smugness in her eyes. When she'd finished admiring her handiwork, she took a step back from him and looked up to take in the crowd from inside the chain-mesh. She threw her hands up in the air victoriously. As she glanced at the crowd triumphantly, she briefly made eye contact with Remy. She gave him a playful wink.

He returned her gesture with a lopsided smirk.

* * *

Remy found the woman not too long after their shared glances. With the fight finished and the commotion around it slowly disbanding, she was able to free herself of celebratory claps on the backs, offerings of drinks and one marriage proposal.

Remy loomed in a dark corner as he watched the woman break away from the crowd. Her first step was the bar, she and Pierce exchanged a few words and a laugh before he handed her a drink.

Her next move was securing a booth. She procured a booth in the far corner of the bar, away from much of the excitement of the strippers, pool tables and bar tap.

Materializing in front of the bar in a very Remy-ish way, Remy waited a beat for Pierce to pour him a drink. The barkeep did just that, albeit, this time he did it with a rather smug smile on his face. Remy took the drink and gave his mutinous barkeep a particular hand gesture that made Pierce audibly chuckle. Rolling his eyes, Remy moved away from the bar and over toward the mysterious woman who had peeked his interest.

She was still wearing that green bandana over her head and now had a matching set of gloves on her hands, complete with a dark brown leather jacket that should have clashed, but somehow didn't.

As Remy made his way over to the booth, he watched as another man beat him to the punch of sliding into the adjacent booth. This did not sway Remy from his intent, however. Instead, he observed the situation as he neared them.

The woman didn't bother looking up from her drink as the man mumbled out an introduction.

"Ah ain' interested." he heard the woman's melodious drawl say flatly to the man.

"Jus' lemme buy you a drink." the man tried again.

Closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose, the woman exhaled in annoyance. As she started to reply, Remy finally ascended on the booth. He glowered down at the lesser man that sat in his intended seat.

"Scram." he said dangerously, his eyes burning with the hope that the man would not comply with his order.

The man apparently recognized Remy, or recognized when he was out of his reach, because he scooted back out of the booth and scampered off into the darkness of the bar. With a new air of arrogance about him, Remy slid into the booth smoothly. However, his suave entrance was lost on the Woman because she still had yet to look up from her drink. Instead, she rolled the glass on its edge against the table and watched the ice cubes rustle.

"Ya should know that Ah don' like bullies." she said matter of factly, "But none-tha-less, Ah ain' interested in ya either. Don' need ya help neither." she added the last sentence as an afterthought.

Remy ignored the first and last sentences of her statement, "Cherie, I ain' even propositioned yo' yet." he said, amused by her demeanor. The Daddy-issues rolled off of her in waves.

"But ya was gonna?" She looked up at him, a twinkle in her green eyes. She didn't even look surprised or swoonful at his handsome face. That wasn't arrogance that was fact. "So lemme save ya some time. Nothin' ya say is gonna convince me ta crawl inta bed with ya." she paused to take a drink, "Specially considerin' tha wrath o' ya assassin o' ah fiancée."

Remy wasn't fazed by her veiled drop, so she knew who he was. That wasn't exactly uncommon in this neck of the woods. Especially as they sat in _his_ bar. However, usually when a woman knew who he was, she wasn't so quick to dismiss his advancements. Technically, he hadn't even made a move... yet.

He could tell that this one would be a challenge.

It had been a while since he'd been presented with a worthwhile challenge.

"Done yo' homework on me, I see." he responded easily.

The woman shrugged, "Ah make it ah point ta research potential clients." she said simply, gazing at him boredly. However, the look in her eyes told Remy that she knew the weight of the bomb she'd just casually dropped on him.

"Client?" Remy repeated. "Client in what sense o' de word?" he asked with a waggle of his eyebrows. He knew this woman wasn't a prostitute, but he couldn't help himself. Besides, chances were that whatever she was selling, he wasn't interesting in buying. Metaphorically speaking, of course, Remy didn't buy things.

The woman rolled her glass again, "Ah specialize in ah particular sector o' security."

Remy scoffed, "Chere, yo know who I am, an' yo' dare imply dat I can' protect m'self?"

The woman shook her head, "Nah, Ah think ya can protect yaself jus' fine... however, word is that ya've acquired ah package from ah source that's gonna want it back... by any means."

Remy raised an eyebrow, "'Fraid I don' know what'choo talkin' 'bout." he said nonchalantly.

Internally, his mind was racing, _how the hell did she know that?_

The woman smiled as if he were a small child arguing about the existence of Santa. Her tone, it so happened, reflected the condescending adult, who would argue with a child about such matters,

"So in tha last month, ya ain' come across an item that was previously in tha possession o' tha X-men?"

Remy's poker face was good. The best, actually, but hers- if she actually was bluffing- was better. "An' where didja hear such slanderous t'ings?" he asked casually.

"Ah make it my business ta know who's an enemy o' tha X-men." she said offhandedly.

Remy crossed his arms across his chest, "Exactly what're yo' offerin' here?" the tone of their encounter had morphed from that of a would-be lustful mingling to a prideful standoff.

Leaning back against the leather of the booth, the woman's eyes met Remy's. They never wavered from his unusual retinas, "Tha X-men are gonna come searchin' for their valuable. Lemme tell ya how it'll play out, Cyclops an' Wolverine will lead their mutant militia down here ta tha bayou an' attempt ta take back what's theirs. Ah suspect ya'll be able ta hold 'em off... tha first time. However, then tha package's gonna have heat, an' that sorta thing gets around tha underground community. Nobody wants something with heat, so ya'll gonna haveta hang onta it even longer... prime pickin's for tha X-men." she explained. "Do Ah need ta draw ah diagram?"

Remy glared at her, "What makes yo' so sure it'll play out like dat?" he demanded, leaning his elbows on the table. As the seconds ticked on, he liked this woman less and less.

"Like Ah said, it's my job." she replied in annoyance.

Her job? Remy felt the anger boil up inside of him, "Jus' who de hell do yo' t'ink yo' are, anyways?" he snapped.

The woman laughed at some joke Remy didn't mean to make before replying, "That depends when ya ask me. Truth is Ah got many names runnin' 'round in m'head, Mr. LeBeau, an' not all o'them are mine. Ah believe ya understand tha semblance o' that statement. Presently, they call me Rogue."

Remy blanched at her, "Girl, yo' t'ink I can' spot a con when it's right in fronta me?"

Rogue shrugged, "It's ah gambit, yes, but remember, Ah found ya. It's only ah matter ah time till they do too."

Remy had no reply as Rogue excused herself from the booth. She threw a few dollars on the table and adjusted the bandana in her hair.

"Ah'll be ah-round if ya change ya mind." She threw over her shoulder before heading for the bar's exit without as much as a second look back at him. She did, however, throw a smile Pierce's way before bumping her gloved fist against his and laughing jovially at some joke Remy couldn't hear.

Unheard jokes seemed to be the theme of his night.

Remy was about to get out of the booth and go question Pierce on this elusive Rogue, but just as he started to heave himself up, a leggy blonde slipped into the adjacent booth, batting her brown eyes at him. Sparing one last look to where Rogue had just departed, Remy turned his attention to the new woman.

He could look into this Rogue later.

* * *

Outside the bar, Rogue ripped her gloves off of her hands hastily and stuffed them into her jacket's pocket. She undid the bandana from around her head and let her white bangs fall down into her face. She then stuffed the fabric into the same pocket that her gloves resided in.

To the untrained eye, that interaction would have seemed like a complete bust, but Rogue knew that she had just thrown out a very curious hook and now she just had to wait until that arrogant thief took a bite he thought he could manage.

She pulled a cellphone out of her other pocket. Pressing the number one, she initiated the speed dial. Lifting the phone to her ear, Rogue waited for the other line to pick up.

The ringing was cut off abruptly and a voice asked, "So?"

Rogue smirked; "Tha Gumbo's ready fo' stirin'." was all she said before flipping the phone shut and slipping it back into her pocket. She had played her opening gambit and now all her chips were all on the X-men attacking, she just had to hope they would do so in a timely manner, thus rendering Remy's options limited.

The thought made Rogue laugh. There would be nothing she would enjoy more than deflating his ego. In the meantime, Rogue decided she deserved a night off as she trekked deeper into the heart of New Orleans.

* * *

 **A/N: So this is my first published Fic. I've been on this site for years as a consumer and I've finally decided to take the plunge. I actually have this particular story completed, and am making my way back through it to edit. I will post new chapters regularly. Since I have it finished I will probably post the remaining chapters more quickly given if the story gets some attention. Oh, and I apologize for my terrible attempt at their accents, by the time I realized it was a mistake, it was too late. Also, I am slowly learning how to operate this site. Bare with me with formatting issues, I am trying.  
**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the characters or the songs each chapter is named after.**

 **Enjoy!**


	2. The Fightin' Side of Me

2\. THE FIGHTIN' SIDE OF ME

Remy woke up in his apartment just outside the Quarter later the next morning. Looking over, he noticed the woman lying next to him. A pit formed in his stomach when he noticed she wasn't a brunette. No, it was the leggy blonde who had claimed his attention after the mysterious brunette known only to him as Rogue had sauntered off.

Frowning, Remy attempted to remember the woman's name... Tiffany? Terra? Teresa? He didn't waste too much time on that hopeless endeavor. With a quick stretch of his limbs, he rolled out of the bed and checked the time. Eight am. Still slightly early. He decided to take a shower and give the woman a chance to sneak out on him. Spare them both an awkward encounter.

Not bothering to dress himself, Remy strut to the bathroom and turned the shower on. As the heat from the water began to steam up the room, his thoughts drifted back to Rogue. He wondered how much weight her rather ominous warning carried. It had been almost three weeks since he had come to possess an item formerly owned by the X-men. He had gotten out of their little club house scott free, he didn't even set off an alarm- of any kind... so how could they piece it back to him? How did Rogue connect it back to him?

As he stepped into the shower, Remy recalled a rumor about their leader, Professor X or something like that. It sounded awfully pretentious to him, 'Professor X', _gag_. Anyway, he recalled hearing through the underground grapevine that this Professor Pretentious was a very powerful telepath, was it entirely possible that Professor Pretentious had done some mental mojo and picked up some residual trace of him? Then the question was, how had Rogue stumbled onto him and how had she gotten to him before the X-men? The realization dawned on Remy that he didn't have all the pieces to the puzzle and that Rogue had to be working for or with a third party.

Remy struggled to figure out what type of game he was being sucked into. There were so many possible plays that he would need more information before he could narrow the selection down and come up with his rebuttal. A thief's work was never done.

Running a hand through his hair, Remy checked to make sure he'd gotten all the soap out. He had. Turning off the water, Remy found his towel in the hazy mass of steam. After drying himself, Remy wrapped the towel around his waist and re-entered his bedroom.

Of all the scenes he could have predicted to walk back into, what he saw was the most annoying of them all. The leggy blonde (Tonya?) was no longer lying in the bed. Instead, she was on her knees, clutching to the bed sheet like it was her lifeline as Belladonna held her by a fistful of hair. The heiress assassin also held a stiletto knife to Tammy's (?) throat.

Remy exhaled sharply. "Let de girl go, Belle." he murmured, his tone shouldn't have been as casual as it was, but then again, this shouldn't happen as often as it did.

"Why should I?" Belle seethed, "Mebbe if I start killin' yo' whores den yo'll be mo' inclined t'stay faithful."

Remy rolled his eyes, at this point they had had this confrontation so many times that they had this conversation down to a science. "Yo' an' I both know dat ain' true. Now, let de girl go." he said, his eyes glowing dangerously.

"Or what LeBeau?" Belle challenged him, "Yo' gonna t'row one o' yo' cards at me?"

"Belle, believe me when I say dat not'in would bring me mo' joy de watchin' yo' 'sploid. However, neither o' our Peres would like dat tres much." Remy replied out of the side of his mouth as he turned his back on his psychotic fiancée and his horrified hookup to find some clothes for the rest of his day. "Now, Belle." he snapped while opening his dresser drawer.

Remy waited to hear the sound of the woman's cadaver hit the ground, but it didn't come. When instead he heard Belle snarl obscenities and warnings at Tina (?) he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. However, he continued his nonchalant attitude as he got dressed and Tamera (?) scampered out of the room, clutching her clothes in her hand. He had learned a long time ago that when Belle threw a temper tantrum that it was best to ignore her, least he feed the fire.

As he pulled a shirt over his head, he caught Belle's scathing glare from the other side of the room.

"Got somet'ing t'say?" he snapped at her.

Belle's lip curled before she took a deep and calming breath. "Only dat I don' deserve dis, Remy. I got m'faults but I ain' steppin' out on yo'. Never have."

Remy felt his stomach plummet to the ground, there were moments- like this one- when Belle regressed back to a normal and rational human being, back to the girl who he had once been in love with as a teenager. However, those days were long gone. He hadn't felt anything besides resentment for the woman in front of him in a very long time. It wasn't completely her fault; their fathers had a hand in his deep seeded contempt for the beautiful woman he was supposed to marry.

Remy's brow furrowed, he should apologize to her. But he wouldn't. He couldn't, apologizing would be like clawing himself out of this dark and desolate pit that he had intentionally dug to free himself of her. Like the flip of a switch, Remy's poker face was back, "Den call dis sham o' an engagement off."

Belle sighed, "I can' do dat Remy. Ain' m'call. Dis de hand we been dealt. Learn t'live wit' it or don' live at all."

A chuckle vibrated in Remy's throat, "Yo' gonna kill me, Belladonna?" he asked far more jovially than he should have. Something about her statement made him want to laugh.

Belle shook her head, "Non, I could never kill yo'. But dere are plenty o' people in m'family who'd gladly take off yo' head. De only reason dey don' is cause we're betrothed."

Remy's eyes narrowed, "Don' act like dere's an army o' assassin's wit' personal vendettas 'gainst me. Yo' talkin' 'bout Julien. An' I ain' scared o' him or yo' family for dat matter. Now get outta m'apartment. I'd like t'finish startin' m'day wit'out anymore attempted murder." he said harshly.

* * *

Five days later, Remy had yet to hear from Belladonna. He wasn't sure how to take that. On the one hand that was exactly what he wanted. On the other, it was never good news when Belle dropped off the grid. What it meant was someone was going to die. The question was, was she out on assignment for her guild or she was hunting down Taylor(?). With that latter thought in mind, Remy continued to check the obituaries and various news broadcasts for any woman fitting Tina's(?) description.

None so far.

In the week past, Remy had only been to his bar twice and had only seen Rogue there once. On the night he saw her, she had been sitting at the bar and was chatting animatedly with Pierce. The duo had seemed to become something of friends. The thought annoyed Remy as he made the mental note to actually interrogate Pierce on another night. He hadn't bothered to acknowledge either one of them as he ducked into the backroom to ensure that his poker legacy stayed intact.

In the meantime, Rogue had begun to consume his mind. Everything from those ever present gloves to her green eyes and matching green bandana. Everything about her screamed for him to stay away, but for some reason he didn't want to. At this point, her warning bared no fruit and was utterly useless to him besides messing with his head. Because of that, he was staying away from her purely to keep Belle off his back- and Rogue's... however, something told him that Rogue would be able to handle Belle in a fight.

Currently, Remy sat in the living room of the Guild's headquarters/ LeBeau family mansion. He was lounging on the couch flipping through the television channels as he ignored his cousin's rambunctious behavior. Theo and Etienne were Jean-Luc's late sister's kids, they were roughly five years younger than Remy and just grazing adulthood- but apparently someone had forgotten to tell them that.

Theo and Etienne wrestled on the floor in front of the couch. They rolled around on the floor, smacking each other with random flops of their hands and grunted swears. This went on until they rolled too far and knocked over a floor lamp next to the couch.

Etienne and Theo stopped messing around and stood up quickly to assess the damage they had caused. Theo righted the lamp as Etienne swept the shattered light bulb glass under the couch with his foot.

"Grow up." Remy snapped at the two of them as he settled on a channel.

Theo and Etienne paused their clean up job to look blankly at Remy.

"What's got yo' panties in a twist?" Emil mocked, "Ain' heard from de Queen o' de Damned an' suddenly yo' turn int' a raggin' assmunch?"

Theo shook his head and grabbed his brother's shoulder, "Yo' got it wrong, Etienne, ol' Remy hates dat hag. Non, it's another femme he's hung up on."

A wide smile engulfed Etienne's lips, "Ooohh, Remy's gotta side Femme. BD ain' gonna like dat. Neither will Jean Luc or Marius... Y'know what dis means? Remy's gonna get in trouble!" It wasn't long before his last sentence turned into a chant and Etienne and Theo began repeating it over and over in both English and French.

Annoyed, Remy pulled a deck of cards out of his pocket. The Marceauxs' eyed the deck warily but didn't stop chanting. Remy shuffled the deck as he attempted to calm himself, but the action only seemed to encourage his cousins. Their chants became louder and shriller until Remy lost his patience and tossed a lightly charged card in their general direction.

The Marceauxs shrieked as the card exploded dangerously close to their heads.

"Keep it up, an' de next one won' miss." Remy snarled.

"Cajun's right. The next one won't miss." came an unfamiliar snarl. Remy jumped to his feet and turned around to see a hairy little man with a petite young brunette at his side. The duo was standing in front of the far wall... twenty feet away from the closest doorway. "Here's yer one an' only chance. Give us back what'ca took an' we'll leave as compadres... eh, probably not."

Remy sunk down into a fighting stance, "Wolverine, I presume? 'Fraid I don' got no idea what'ca talkin' 'bout."

A feral grin encompassed Wolverine's lips, "Let's see if I can help ya remember." he said as six metal claws appeared out of his hands, three per hand. Remy whistled.

"Dat's a nice party trick. 'Fraid yo' gonna haveta do a bit mo' to intimidate me." he mocked, glancing at his stunned cousins. Useless brats could get in and out of the Louvre without breaking a sweat but put them in a fight and suddenly they had stage fright.

"Hear that, Shadowcat? The Cajun's asked us to call in back up. It is his house, so I'm only happy to oblige." Wolverine said jovially before launching at Remy.

"Theo! Etienne! Go get reinforcements!" Remy cried as he caught Wolverine in the air with a pair of exploding aces. Literally, the cards were aces.

As Etienne and Theo scampered out of the room, three more bodies entered. Unfortunately, none of them were on Remy's side. Remy briefly took a moment to survey them. In the newest addition to what was about to be an all-out slug fest, was a very large man made out of metal, a man with a glowing red visor and a woman with extruding bones in various places throughout her body.

Suddenly, Remy wished he hadn't dismissed Rogue's warning.

Remy pulled out a compacted bo staff out of his coat pocket and watched his opponents carefully. He extended the staff and fisted a handful of cards in his opposite hand.

"Well, I ain' got all night." he snapped.

"Bub, ya ain' got ten minutes." Wolverine howled as he kicked back up to his feet and started swiping his claws at Remy, aiming for his jugular.

"X-men," said Visor Boy, whom Remy would only assume was the famed Cyclops, "Spread out, find it!" the four remaining X-men split up and disappeared out of the living room through various exits.

Remy grit his teeth as he blocked Wolverine's advances with his staff. He was very relieved that he had sprung for the staff made out of adamantium opposed to one made from steal. "Ain' ya'll ever heard o' knockin?" Remy bantered as he kicked Wolverine in the chest and away from him.

"That's funny, I could ask ya the same thing." Wolverine snarled as he came at Remy again. Remy would give it to him, that was a fair point.

Remy and Wolverine exchanged more blows and blocks, locked into a stalemate. Any blow Remy managed to land on Wolverine seemed to have no effect, but any blow that Wolverine landed on him left a mark.

"Don' nobody move."

For some odd reason, Remy and Wolverine obeyed the order. Maybe it was the tone of the voice, or maybe it was just suppressed Simon Says instincts.

Jean-Luc stood in the doorway of the room, holding the boned woman close to him with a pistol pressed to her temple.

Wolverine's eyes narrowed, "Marrow, ya good, darlin'?" he asked tautly.

Marrow nodded, "He snuck up on me." she cast her gaze downward in shame.

"Call in yo' dogs." Jean Luc demanded, "Or I put a bullet in de femme's head."

"Do that an' I'll fillet ya." Wolverine snarled, pointing his claws at Jean Luc and turning his back on Remy. Remy smirked at his good fortune; Wolverine had just made his first and only mistake.

Remy jumped on the unsuspecting Wolverine, grabbing the metal claws with his hands. Remy didn't flinch as the metal cut into his palms. "Tell me Monsieur Claws, I hear yo' body can regenerate from anyt'ing. Could yo' regenerate if I blow up yo' skeleton?" Remy purred in Wolverine's ear as the metal claws began to glow a dull magenta

Wolverine growled dangerously, "Cyke, we've been cornered. The Cajun's got a gun ta Marrow an' me rigged ta blow. Abort mission." he said to no one.

"Ohh," Remy cooed, "Do ya got comms in?" he leaned closer to Wolverine's ear. "Cyke it is? Ya got duex minutes fo' I let de charge go. Sure, Wolvie might make it, but I bet Marrow here wouldn't."

"Ya'd kill us all." Wolverine said evenly.

"I'm jus' crazy enough t'do it." Remy cooed again, "Jean Luc," he continued, "Knock de girl out. _No more_." he stressed the last two words as he eyed his adoptive father wearily.

Jean Luc looked at Marrow with a slight tinge of sympathy on his face, "M' apologies, Cherie. 'Tis only slightly personal." he said before slamming the butt of the gun against her temple and catching her unconscious form before it hit the ground.

As the remaining X-men filed into the room Remy heard Wolverine hiss under his breath, "Alright, Jean Luc, give de fille t' Lt. Commander Geordi here." Jean Luc made a face that told Remy he didn't get the reference, "To Visor man." Remy said in exasperation. "An' Tin man, I suggest yo' power down, 'cause I can charge yo' metal too." He wasn't entirely sure his claim was true.

"Can't believe I understood that reference." Wolverine muttered under his breath as Colossus' silver coat was replaced by the toupe-ish color of his skin.

"See, Wolvie, we ain' dat different after all." Remy said jovially as Jean Luc handed Marrow over to Cyclops. "Now let's make our exit, X-men." Remy said, nodding his head out the door, still clutching Wolverine's claws.

Cyclops led the group out of the mansion with the remaining X-men flanking him as he carried Marrow. Wolverine and Remy walked behind the group, next to Jean Luc who still had his gun trained on Marrow's head. Their little posse eventually made it outside to a rather large jet that made Remy whistle.

"Gotta say, 'm impressed wit' dat plane." Remy conceded. "Here's how dis'll play out. Ya'll gonna board de plane, an' when I deem appropriate, I'll release de charge from de Chatton, here. Ya'll run home wit' yo' tails 'tween yo' legs or I'll blow yo' an' yo' pretty lil' jet t'Kingdom Come. Got it?"

The X-men disgruntledly obeyed Remy's orders and they boarded the plane with no resistance whilst watching their backs and the train of Jean Luc's gun carefully. When Remy finally heard the roar of the plane's engines, he pulled the charge back into his own body and gave Wolverine a shove toward the loading dock.

Wolverine stumbled but recovered smoothly to stand on the dock and glare down at Remy and Jean Luc. "This ain' over Cajuns." he growled before stomping up the ramp as it began to shut and the jet too to the air.

When the jet was out of sight, Remy let out a sigh of relief. Jean-Luc watched where the jet had been with a keen interest. "We outta get ourselves one o' dose." he said wistfully.

Remy felt a dark cloud hover over him, "What a loyal team or a jet?" he spat, glaring at Jean Luc.

Jean Luc rolled his eyes, "A jet, o' course." he said absently. "We're thieves Remy. Don' forget dat." he said before leaving Remy alone in the night time air.

"Can't forget it." Remy muttered to himself, staring up at the stars. "'Cause no one lets me." Shaking his head, Remy pulled himself from his stupor of self-pity. Instead, he pulled out a cigarette and charged the tip. When the embers lit on fire he took a long drag and pondered his next move.

He had two more things to do, he decided. First was finding Emil. Second was drowning his sorrows at the bottom of a particularly expensive bottle of Jack.

* * *

Rogue leaned against the banister of the second floor patio just outside her motel room. She gazed up at the half moon that was just barely peeking out from behind the cloud cover. She couldn't see the stars, between the street lights and the clouds, she hadn't really expected to.

When she felt her pocket vibrate, Rogue sighed. Reaching into her pocket, Rogue grabbed the phone and flipped it open.

"Ah'm assumin' this means the X-men made their play?"

"Yes."

"An' they failed."

"Yes."

Rogue fought back a smile, "As Ah suspected. Is my mission clear to continue?"

"Yes."

"Roger. Going dark until it's time to rendezvous." she said before she flipped the phone shut.

Rogue slipped the phone back into her pocket and frowned. There had once been a time in her life where the line between right and wrong hadn't been so blurred. And she would know, she had been on both sides of it.

* * *

 **A/N: In case you are unfamiliar with country music, every chapter and the title are named after songs. Sometimes because the title fits the theme of the chapter or because the song does.**

 **So, who is Rogue working with/for? What did Remy take from the X-men? Did Belladonna kill Remy's one night stand? Will Remy ever remember that poor girl's name?  
**


	3. Hard to be an Outlaw

3\. HARD TO BE AN OUTLAW

Remy sat alone at the kitchen table in the LeBeau Manor. He had had a rough night's sleep in the aftermath of the X-men's raid on the place, sleep had even eluded him after more than his fair share of whiskey. So there he sat, eating a bowl of cereal at two thirty in the afternoon as he battled a hangover.

When Emil plopped down next to him, Remy didn't even flinch. He was too tired, his head hurt and his palms throbbed where the medical tape pressed against his cuts.

"So I was up all night," Emil began without any formal introduction, "But I t'ink I've found everyt'ing dere is on dis Rogue." he said, opening his laptop and clicking furiously on the keyboard.

"Shhh," Remy whispered hoarsely, "Inside voice."

Emil leered at him in annoyance, "I am usin' m'inside voice. Don' get drunk on school nights." he said in irritation.

"Jus' tell me what'choo found." Remy said in exasperation as he stuffed his mouth with more Frosted Flakes.

"Well," Emil began, "She don' got any finger prints in any government database, so I have no idea who she really is, but I got enough fo' a successful movie franchise on her Rogue alias. T'sum it up, dis girl really is a Rogue. She ain' got no clue which side she wants t'be on. As a teen she ran wit' de Brotherhood o' Mutants but awhile back she flipped an' started workin' wit' de X-men. Accordin' t'SHIELD as of 2006 she was a 'possible ally' an' 'potential Avenger material'. Somet'ing happened though, 'cause she's currently red-flagged. When I tapped int' de X-men's servers, I found dat she ain' been an active member in over trois years. Now she seems t'be free lancin'. Not'ing big an' not'ing anyone 'sides me can tie her to." Emil said smugly.

"Good work, E." Remy muttered into his cereal, "Anyt'ing else I oughta know 'bout her?"

"Well, she is like you." Emil said offhandedly.

Remy looked up curiously, "Like me?" he repeated rather tautly, the spoon pointing at Emil dangerously.

Emil shrugged, "Ya know, a mutant... She's a dangerous one too." he said shutting his laptop.

"I figured. Don' jus' anybody run wit' de Brotherhood o' Mutants." he said pointedly. "Now don' leave me in suspense." Remy snapped, "What can she do?"

"Accordin' t'SHIELD's profile, she can absorb people. Like deir t'oughts, feelin's, abilities... it renders dem unconscious." Emil added, nervously running his fingers across the keys on his laptop.

"Absorb people?" Remy repeated, "Like a sponge?"

Emil nodded, "De file says dat she does so t'rough touch, so mind yo' distance 'round her."

Emil continued to talk about something meaningless, but Remy tuned him out as the cogs in his mind began to meld and turn. A skin based mutation explained why she was always wearing gloves when he saw her... then again, if she were always wearing gloves that could only mean one of two things; she had control only when she focused or she had no control at all. Suddenly, her interests in the matter became clear.

The third party she was working for was _herself_.

Rogue was more like him than he- or Emil- had realized.

* * *

The next day Remy assigned an apprentice thief to locate and follow Rogue about her day. Young Marcel was only too happy to accept the task. Donning his Thieves Guild issue trench coat, Marcel took to the New Orleans streets, looking for a woman with green eyes and peculiar dress for the humid climate of the fair state of Louisiana.

By a stroke of luck, Marcel managed to spot her in the midst of a crowd in the French Quarter. Really, it was that green bandana that decorated her hair. Marcel followed Rogue as she mozied around the Quarter, doing her fair share of window shopping. Marcel rolled his eyes at her on more than one occasion, _tourists._

Marcel did his best to blend in with the ebb and flow of the foot traffic around the Quarter all while keeping his distance from Rogue. Every now and again she would stop in front of yet another shop window and inspect her appearance through her obnoxiously big sunglasses. This high maintenance habit seemed to go against the personality profile that Remy had briefed him with before assigning him to this mission.

Deciding he looked suspicious wondering around the Quarter with no apparent agenda, Marcel looked to higher ground to continue to his watch. Taking a sharp right into an alley way, Marcel scaled the side of the building using the gutter to help propel himself up. When he pulled himself to the top of the roof, Marcel scrambled over to the edge to peer down at the crowds below. It wasn't hard to spot his mark (bless that green bandana). Now all he had to do was wait for her to do something interesting so he didn't have to report to Remy empty handed.

Marcel watched as Rogue pulled out her cellphone, he could only assume she was checking her appearance in the reflective screen. Marcel's shoulders fell in disappointment, he had hoped for a more interesting mark . Rogue slipped the phone into her back pocket and decided to stop into a cafe for lunch. Marcel sighed and sank down to a sitting position.

After about an hour, Rogue had yet to emerged from the cafe. However, Marcel's attention was distracted from Rogue's extremely long lunch by the patriotic streak in the air as a woman in a flashy- and form fitting- suit ascended back down to Earth. Marcel recognized the woman as the one and only Captain Marvel.

He watched curiously as Captain Marvel scanned the crowds of the Quarter with great interest as she looked for something. Marcel felt his stomach turn; there was no way that her arrival in New Orleans was good for the Guild. Meanwhile, the people in the Quarter began to recognize her and began to mutter amongst themselves at her arrival.

While distracted, Marcel had missed Rogue's exit from the cafe. He caught a glimpse of her green bandana making it's way through the crowd, getting closer and closer to Captain Marvel. Her rigid body language clued him in that what was about to happen would not be pleasant. His eyes also narrowed in on her gloveless hands. Whatever was going on, Rogue meant business.

Marcel was up about two stories, but he was still able to get a decent view of Rogue and was able to make out any audible sounds. He watched in curiosity as Rogue's face twisted from surprise to irritation upon spotting Captain Marvel. Marcel was surprised when Rogue snuck up from behind Captain Marvel and lunged at her.

"It's ah shame we gotta keep meetin' like this." Rogue snapped as the pair fell to the ground.

"Rogue?" Captain Marvel asked incredulously, as she threw Rogue off of her. "The hell do you think you're doing... Did the psyches take over again?" her jaw tense.

Marcel made a face, so the Captain knew Rogue. How very curious.

"Nope." Rogue popped the p. "This is all me, Sugah." She said loudly as she regained her balance.

"I don't wanna hurt you." Captain Marvel said slowly as a crowd of people started to form a ring around them. Vaguely, Marcel wondered what he should do. He couldn't get involved with this fight... but surely Rogue was about to get her ass beat.

"Shame. Ah wanna hurt you." Rogue spat vehemently, dropping her bags and lunging at Captain Marvel once more.

From his vantage point, Marcel watched as his mark made a brash decision in the face of combat. Rogue lunged again. As the two tumbled to the ground, Marcel squinted to get a better look as the duo hesitated briefly on the ground while his mark was close to the Captain's ear. However, he quickly dismissed the thought when Captain Marvel shoved Rogue off of her and into a nearby wall.

Marcel flinched in sympathy pain as he heard Rogue groan. As she peeled herself off of the brick wall she'd just played chicken with, Rogue took a deep breath. Meanwhile, Marcel struggled with what his next move as her tail should be. Being a tail wasn't worth anything if there was no mark to follow.

Rogue made her way back into the fight, "That tha best ya got?" She mocked. "'Sides, Ah knew ya couldn't take me in ah fair fight."

The Captain's eyes narrowed, "Fair fight? Your hands are bare. You could take me out with a touch!" she accused.

Up on the roof, Marcel had the distinct feeling that not only was he missing some vital information to understand their banter, but also that these two women had something of a history with each other.

Rogue took her gloves out of her back pocket and put them back on her hands.

"Think ya can handle ah fist fight, Cap?"

"Better than you think you can." Captain Marvel snapped, raising her fists.

The two women started at each other and began to exchange blows. The fight itself looked more like a perfectly choreographed dance rather than a fist fight. Every punch was dodged and every kick was blocked as the two bobbed and weaved around each other as they attempted to land a hit. Finally, Captain Marvel gained the upper hand when she caught Rogue by surprise with a head-butt against Rogue's bandana and followed it with two quick right jabs. As Captain Marvel started for a left hook, Rogue leant back and dodged it. Falling to the ground, Rogue wrapped her legs around Captain Marvel's so to take the other woman with her.

From there it was a power struggle to see who would land on top. The two rolled and rolled, every so often, one would maintain an upright position long enough to land a couple of blows. After a few rounds of this, Rogue grew tired of the back and forth and when she regained the final advantage, she quickly ripped her glove off and grabbed the Captain's face.

Marcel could see the Captain's fear even from the roof. As Rogue held on, that same expression of fear began to fall off her face as she started to nod off.

Rogue lingered over the Captain's body, but with her back to him, he couldn't tell if she said anything else to her. Rogue stood up and looked around the crowd with a wild look in her eyes, "What'c'all lookin' at? Ya wanna be next?" she snarled, causing more than a few gawkers to flee the scene in fear.

Rogue clapped her hands together triumphantly. She replaced the gloves back onto her hands and picked up the bags she'd discarded and went on about her day like nothing was out of the ordinary.

Marcel continued to watch Rogue with intrigue. She was character after all, not just a boring old potential rat. She had just taken out Captain Marvel... that was an impressive feat in its own right. Marcel was actually about to go check on the fallen Avenger when a hand grabbed his shoulder.

Turning around, Marcel caught sight of a pair of eyes belonging to the only man who wasn't a LeBeau that he feared. "Julien." Marcel gulped.

"T'ief." Julien replied stonily. "What'choo t'ink yo' doin' here? Dis Assassin territory. M'sister ain' married t'yo' scum o' an heir yet. So yo' ain' allowed here." he said in contempt. "Which begs de question, what should we do wit' 'em?"

Marcel's eyes widened as he attempted to flee, but was ultimately unable to do so.

* * *

Remy was getting ready to leave the LeBeau Estate for the Cellar when Jean Luc caught him by the arm in the entry way.

"Follow me boy, dere's been an incident." Jean Luc said stiffly.

Changing his direction, Remy followed his father to the Patriarch's official office that Remy personally never bothered to use. Once inside, Remy caught sight of a battered and beaten Marcel sitting in the chair adjacent to Jean Luc's desk

Remy's eyes widened, "Did Rogue do dis t'you?"

Marcel shook his head, "Non. Julien caught me while I was tailin' de fille. I wasn't payin' attention t'where I was... De fille's fight wit' Captain Marvel distracted me." he explained.

Remy blinked, "Rogue got in a fight wit' Captain Marvel? De Captain Marvel? De hot, blonde femme from de Avengers? Marcel nodded and Remy whistled, "An' did she win?" he pressed.

Again, Marcel nodded.

"Remy," Jean Luc snapped, "Dis ain' no time fo' admirin' de fille's work. Wit' dis incident, both sides are callin' for a war. Our boys want retribution for Marcel's sufferin' an' Julien's heinous act an' de Assassins see dis as an' attempt by us t'take what ain' ours... ironically." he half laughed.

Remy could feel the accusation in Jean Luc's words. "What's dis have t'do wit' me? Ain' m'fault he got sloppy 'cause a girl fight distracted 'em." Remy said indignantly, knowing that he too would have been distracted by a girl fight of that caliber... especially if there had been mud... he highly doubted there would have been mud... but if there had been...

"Ain' what I'm gettin' at boy." Jean Luc snapped, "Wit' dis incident, Marius an' I agree dat de weddin' ought t'be moved up. Yo' an' Belle t'wed at de end o' de month."

Remy recoiled from his father as if Jean Luc had slapped him. "Dat's two weeks." his mouth was suddenly dry.

"Oui." Jean Luc said impatiently.

"But Per-"

"Non, no buts. Yo' doin' dis Remy. Ain' no way yo' gettin' outta it. Try an' sabotage dis all yo' want, but yo' marryin' Belladonna if I gotta hold a gun t'yo' head. Yo' doin' dis fo' yo' family, fo' de Guild. Yo' Guild." his father's tone was finalizing.

Remy ran a hand through his hair and swallowed a rebuttal. "Fine." he sneered, "But dat still leaves our X-men problem wit' out a solution. Fence won' be back from Rome until middle o' de week after next. Which means we gotta hold onto de package. De only play we got is dis Rogue."

"An' why's dat?" Jean Luc said curiously, dismissing Marcel with a wave of his hand.

"She used t'be one o' dem." Remy said. Jean Luc started to scoff but Remy interrupted him, "Jus' listen, fo' once, hein? Dis Rogue, she knows how dey tick an' she an' dem had some fallin' out a few years back. She hates dem. Yo' heard Marcel, she took down Captain Marvel in de Quarter. Everybody knows dat Marvel is an Avenger who gets chummy wit' de X-men. 'Sides Rogue already predicted dey'd come, an' she says dey'll come again. Dis time, we can be prepared." he pitched.

Remy could tell by the look on Jean Luc's face that he was both doubtful and intrigued. "Everyt'ing yo've said t'me has been one convenient circumstance after another. An' enemy o' de X-men popping up jus' when we have our own issues wit' dem? A random Avenger in N'Orleans? Dis stinks Remy, an' fo' some reason yo' can' smell it."

Remy shook his head vigorously, "Non, sometimes de cards just fall perfectly int' yo' hand." He insisted, "Wit'out her, we won' be able t'stop de X-men. She's our trump card, our ace in de hole."

Jean Luc sighed, "I don' like dis Remy. I don' trust outsiders."

Remy looked him dead in the eye, "Yo' trusted me."

Jean Luc ran a frustrated hand down his face. "Go talk t'her. See what she's got up her own sleeves. If somet'ing don' seem right, leave whatever offer an' wash yo' hands o' her. Yo' want dis fille on board, den not only does she gotta prove herself a Guild ally, but she's yo' responsibility."

Remy nodded mutely and dismissed himself from Jean Luc's office before the two could catapult into a strongly worded argument. Now it was time to meet Rogue. Now it was time to see what the hell kind of game he was about to start playing.

If he hadn't started already.

* * *

At the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, amend that, _Below_ the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, the team infamously known as the X-men sat in the briefing room that had long ago been dubbed "The War Room."

The team that had attempted to infiltrate the LeBeau Manor sat quietly in their seats as the remaining X-men waited for their official debriefing of what had happened and why they had come back empty handed.

With Wolverine M.I.A. and Cyclops in one of his brooding moods, Shadowcat took to explaining their failure to the team, starting with how she had phased the team into the house, moving on to Wolverine's fight with the red eyed mutant, her own surveillance of the Manor and finally, Marrow's capture and their forced retreat. "And after getting just a brief search of the place, " Shadowcat concluded, "we still haven't the faintest clue as to where they could be keeping it. Assuming they still have it."

Shadowcat pursed her lips and shook her head in frustration, "We misjudged them. That guy was ready to blow us all to smithereens." she recalled distantly. Looking to the Professor, her tone became skeptical, "You can't possibly still think we should try and recruit him?"

From his spot at the head of the table, Professor Xavier looked at his student placidly, "I believe Mr. LeBeau was merely reacting out of instinct, just as anyone else in his position would if their home was invaded. I do not believe that he would have actually blown Logan up." he said, resting his elbows on the table.

"What you think he may or may not do does not change the fact that he and his Guild are days away from selling our property to the highest bidder with no regard to the consequences to the mutant population." Cyclops bit out. "We have to go back. We can't let that fall into even worse hands."

Xavier held up a hand to silence Cyclops, "And we will, Scott. We just lost the battle." he said calmly, "The war is still afoot." Xavier's words did little to placate his students and peers. "We have to trust that everything will go according to plan."

"What exactly is the plan?" asked Jubilee impatiently. "'Cause that plan was attack first and think later. Did you let Logan do the planning?"

Xavier looked over at his youngest X-man, "That was a slight of hand, a Trojan horse, if you will."

"Um, Professor, last I checked, we didn't sneak an army into the Guild. In fact, it was more Beer Hall Putch than anything else." Iceman said dubiously.

Smiling, Xavier said, "I'm glad you actually learned something in your history class, Bobby. So, speaking in World War II terms, we'll be giving the Guild a war on two fronts."

"So we shall send in two teams for the next strike?" Beast asked, his tone dubious.

Xavier shook his head, "We still raid the Guild again, still with just one team. We'll keep our ranks more or less the same. Sarah, I'm sorry but you'll be sitting this one out. Instead, we need someone that the LeBeau's will have a harder time getting their hands on." Xavier's gaze drifted toward a particular mutant.

Northstar had not been paying much attention to the briefing when he felt Xavier's eyes on him. He quickly looked up and sputtered, "Who's getting their hands on what now?"

"Nice Jean-Paul." Cyclops said patronizingly.

Northstar shrugged sheepishly.

Forge shook his head, "Prof, no offense, but none of this makes any sense. If we're sending in only one team, how is this a war on two fronts?"

Xavier's response to the technologically inclined mutant was interrupted by Wolverine's abrupt (and substantially late) entrance. He looked even more irritated than usual as he announced, "Jus' got off the phone with Carol Danvers. It seems Rogue's gotten her hands deeper into this mess than we originally thought." he huffed.

"What the hell does she think she's doing?" asked Bobby to no one in particular. He ran an anxious hand through his hair.

"Apparently, she thinks she's attacking Avengers fer the fun of it." Wolverine growled. He turned his attention back to Xavier, "You let her leave. No, y _er_ the one who sent her away. Didja see this one comin' Chuck?"

"Rogue is in New Orleans..." Storm said slowly, "Is that your play? Rogue is your second front?"

Xavier nodded, "She is. But we must approach this carefully. If we don't, we could lose her forever."

Wolverine didn't like that statement, his nostrils flailed and a growl erupted from his throat, "That ain' happenin'. Stripes is comin' home in one piece whether she likes it or not."

* * *

 **A/N: Something about Thieves Guild issue trench coats makes me laugh. I blame XTAS for that particular head cannon.**

 **There was a question from tx peppa as to why Rogue was using a flip phone. The answer is that I initially intended this story to be set in 2009ish. That's about the dawn of the Smart Phone age. So it's entirely possible she hasn't made the transition over yet. More likely I just enjoy the more dramatic notion of flipping a phone shut opposed to pressing a button.**

 **So, What is the Professor up to? Why was Captain Marvel in New Orleans? Why is Remy so insistent on trusting Rogue?  
**


	4. Only Prettier

4\. ONLY PRETTIER

Rogue was sitting at the same booth she had inhabited on the night that they first met. Remy noticed her right away but did his best to not seem eager to speak to her. His first stop was to the bar, where he got two drinks then made his way nonchalantly over to her.

Slipping into the adjacent booth, Remy slid her one of the drinks.

As Rogue caught the drink, Remy took note of how her body winced when she made sudden movements. He noticed that her face was pretty scratched up as well. Her bottom lip was busted, her right cheek was bruised and her forehead boasted more than one scrape that Remy could tell had been oozing blood earlier.

Remy leant against the wooden table, continuing his inspection of her with interest.

"Gotta say, Chere. When I heard yo' got in a fight, I didn' realize it'd been wit' a semi." he said, resting his head on his hands.

Rogue raised her eyebrows, "By tha looks ah it, my opponent was tougher than yours." she nodded to the medical tape around his palms. "Tha X-men pay ya ah visit after all?" Remy could tell by her tone that it was a rhetorical question. That didn't stop him.

"Dat dey did." he replied, taking a swig of his drink "Made quite de ruckus." he set his glass down on the table haphazardly.

Rogue scoffed, "Jus' be glad that's all they did."

"Guess yo' would know what dey're capable o', since dey were once yo' friends." he said pointedly, gauging her reaction.

Rogue looked up from her drink and shrugged, "It was ah phase." she said with a wave of her hand.

"Non." Remy shook his head sternly. "Goin' straight ain' a phase. Tell me, how am I 'posed t'trust dat yo' ain' gonna stab me in de back at de end o' de day?" Remy didn't know why he was asking her that.

"Ain' no guarantees in our line o' work, Sugah. In fact, ya shouldn't trust me. Ah sure as hell don' trust you. However, Ah do trust that ya don' want tha X-men ta take back what'ca stole. So trust that Ah am ah woman scorned an' tha X-men are at fault." her tone was bitter and something within Remy emphasized with her hatred toward her once adoptive family.

Remy looked on at her unfazed, "An' jus' how did de X-men earn yo' hatred?"

Rogue's face was stone still when she answered him, "They offered me answers an' when Ah got there, all they had fo' me was more questions."

"Dis 'bout yo' powers, non?" he inquired as he attempted to put together the puzzle.

Rogue winced again, this time not from physical pain. "Seems like ya've finally done ya own homework."

"Circumstances changed an' yo' warnin' suddenly wasn't so ominous." Remy said in his velvety smooth voice that he used to get his way.

Rogue smirked, "So ya've come here askin' for my help after all."

Remy shrugged, "Mebbe. We'll see."

Rogue's face darkened, "Don' think fo' ah second that Ah'm here purely fo' revenge an' charity. ' _We'll see_?', Sugah ya ain' got time ta see nothin', 'cept maybe Wolverine shreddin' ya ass inta confetti"

Remy didn't falter at her snap, he merely smiled at her. "Chere, yo' wanna work fo' de Guild? Den yo' gonna haveta prove ya ain' an X-man in disguise."

Rogue's face twisted in disgust, "Ah don' wanna be ah-part o' ya Merry Men, Ah shouldn' havta go through an initiation."

Remy cut the cute and gave Rogue a deadpan look, "Here's de deal. Dis whole t'ing stinks o' a set up. Don' t'ink dat I don' spot a third party when I see one. De way yo' look at me, I wouldn' be surprised if yo' whole plan was t'screw over m'Guild. Dere ain' no reason why I shouldn't walk away from de table right now. An' if yo' don' do de ' _initiation_ ' den yo' can have a good night, Chere, 'cause we done... business wise." he wiggled an eyebrow at her, insinuating something he knew she would scoff at.

Rogue scoffed and Remy smirked. He was beginning to understand how she ticked. "Ah sure as hell ain' gonna beg fo' this job. All Ah want is ta screw tha X-men an' get paid while doin' it." Rogue looked Remy right in the eye as she said, "Ah don' wanna screw you."

Remy couldn't help but laugh at the double meaning of her statement. "So we gotta deal, den?"

Rogue nodded slowly as she pulled a pen out of her jacket pocket and wrote a number down on the napkin between the water stain where her drink had been sitting. She slid the napkin across the table into Remy's awaiting hands. "Ah want half after yo' trainin' run an' half after Ah successfully ward off tha X-men. Ah expect cash."

Remy enjoyed her no-nonsense tone. The girl knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to show it. He had to admit, he was beginning to have mixed feelings about her. "If yo' deliver on both ends, den we gotta deal." he said jovially. He felt a rush of excitement coarse through him, he wasn't sure why.

"Sugah, ya ain't gotta worry if Ah got the goods ta back up my claims. Now, gimme tha details."

Remy opened his mouth to answer her, but he was interrupted by the sudden presence of the bombshell that was Belladonna. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at Belle's dramatic entrance, Remy kept an eye on Rogue. She didn't seem fazed by Belle's intrusion, in fact she looked intrigued.

Belladonna made it a point to never let her gaze drift from Remy as she curled up next to him, forcing his arm up and over her shoulder, subsequently marking her territory.

"Is this yo' latest whore, Remy?" Belle asked vehemently, running a hand up and down the side of his face. Remy was less than thrilled by her touch and did his best not to flinch away from her... actually, her presence angered him, so did her accusation. Not because he gave a damn what she thought of him- he'd made that very clear- but that she would insult Rogue like that...

Shaking the thought from his head, Remy honed back to earth and to the tight lipped smile on Rogue's lips. "Listen Sugah," she said, "Ah don' know who ya think ya're dealin' with, but Ah assure ya, Ah ain' tha kinda woman ya wanna cross. Now, Ah've already tussled with one blonde with ah inferiority complex, Ah ain' ah-fraid ta make it two. Show me tha respect Ah deserve or Ah will teach it ta ya usin' my fists." Rogue said dangerously.

Belladonna finally looked at Rogue, her tone venomous, "Ya t'ink yo' can take me?"

Rogue smirked, "Ta tha cleaners, ta tha bank, ta the woodshed, Sugah jus' tell me where ya wanna go."

Remy didn't even try to stifle the laugh that escaped from his mouth as Belle's mouth dropped. Those mixed feelings were slowly becoming unmixed by the second.

"I will peel yo' skin off wit' m'own duex hands." Belle snarled in retort. No one had ever dared to speak to her like that. Except maybe the man next to her, but even he never threatened her any real bodily harm.

Rogue snickered at Belladonna's threat, "Ah would very much like ta see ya try. Now, if we're done with this pissin' contest, ya fiancé an' Ah were discussin' tha finer points o' our business transaction." Rogue was about to stop there but thought better of it, she looked to Belle pointedly, "An' it don' involve prostitution, 'fore ya think ah gettin' smart."

Remy decided that then was as good a time as any to pop in, "Belle, dis Rogue. De Guild's recruitin' her fo' an extremely sensitive matter." he said, his voice a mixture of annoyance and amusement.

"Rogue?" Belle scoffed, "A bit pretentious, don'tca think?"

Rogue made a face, "Nah, Ah think it's eloquent with ah shade o' mystery an' intrigue. 'Sides, Ah didn' choose it."

"Did yo' Mere named yo' Rogue?" Belle asked, deadpan.

Rogue rolled her eyes, "If Ah say yes, will it make ya stop askin' me meaningless questions?" she retorted harshly. "Ya Momma named ya _Beautiful Woman_ , don'tca think that's ah bit pretentious? Ah mean, Ah guess yo' personify it, but damn, yo' personality could wilt flowers."

Belle's head whipped toward Remy. "Yo gonna let her talk t'me like dis?" she snapped.

Remy looked at her boredly, "She ain' wrong." he said out of the side of his mouth.

Rogue rolled her eyes, how the two of them were supposed to be married was beyond her, "Listen up," she called Belle's attention back to her. "Ah ain' here ta steal ya man. Ah got no interest in him, 'kay? Matter ah fact, 'fore we go ta blows ovah ya pride, lemme let ya in on ah lil' secret." Rogue leant in and beckoned Belle to do the same. "Ah couldn't sleep with ya Fiancé even if Ah wanted to. Ah would kill him. An' I can' do that. Not yet at least."

Belle looked at her reproachfully, "Yo' some sorta Black Widow?"

Rogue shook her head, "Nah, she's a redheaded Russian who, frankly, scares me. An' that's Ah feat on its own, considerin' Ah ain' scared o' you."

Belle gave her a curious once over, all previous scorn temporarily forgotten, "Why can't ya touch 'em?"

Rogue took a deep breath, "Can' touch nobody- unless Ah wanna put 'em in ah coma." Rogue held up her hands and called Belle's attention to her gloves, "Now, can we please get back ta business. My time is very valuable."

Remy unhooked his arm from Belle's shoulder and scooted away from her, giving himself some breathing room. "Oui, Belle, would yo' excuse us. Dis official Guild business an' in light o' recent events I don' t'ink Jean-Luc would be happy if Marius was aware o' T'ief business 'fore we officially exchange playbooks."

Belle glared at him up got up nonetheless. For once, he was entirely right. Belle stood from the booth and smoothed out her shirt, sending Rogue a piercing look before throwing over her shoulder, "I expect yo' at de house tomorrow at noon fo' plannin'. Since de dates been moved up, t'ings need changed."

Rogue watched Belle saunter away with a tinge of morbid curiosity in her eyes. Remy, on the other hand, felt exhausted after dealing with Belle. With Rogue momentarily distracted Remy took the opportunity to gather himself. Composing himself, Remy looked back up to realize that Rogue was now inspecting _him_ curiously. Remy didn't have to tap into his empathy to feel the emotion rolling off of her. It wasn't quite, pity... no, it was sympathy.

Neither of them realized they were staring into eachother's eyes for more beats than acceptable.

Rogue snapped out of it first, "That's quite ah girl ya got there." she said sarcastically

Remy blew an excessive amount of air from his nose in what could have been considered a laugh, "Shut up." his words held no malice, but were almost playful, "Now let's get t'de trust exercise."

* * *

Remy leant against his bike in the parking lot outside the Hampton Inn that the mark was staying in. In his ear he had a comms unit that linked him directly to Rogue and in his hands was his cellphone, which after a quick call to Emil was now transmitting the Hotel's security camera footage onto his five inch screen. He just needed to swipe to find the camera he needed. Briefly, he recalled his and Rogue's conversation the day before that had led to this "mission".

" _De Thieves have influence all over de world." he stated. "Yo' name it we got our hands in de cookie jar- Presidential elections, Pius elections, match manipulation, pay rolled cops, yo' get de idea." a smile had threatened to peek on his lips, "We gain it t'rough many different methods. Bribes, insurance, favors, blackmail, yo' name it. Dat said, dere's a new player in Congress who stands t'mess alotta t'ings up for us, an' he seems impervious t'all de aforementioned methods. Now, we ain' de Assassins Guild, we ain' 'bout killin' threats if we don' have to, so we-I need yo' t'go in an' get somet'ing dat will earn us his silence."_

Coming back to the present, Remy gazed down at the phone as he finally found a camera that Rogue was on. He grinned at the image of her in a maid's uniform. She had been less than thrilled when he had handed her it.

"LeBeau." Rogue's voice hissed in his ear.

"Oui, Chere?" he asked velvety, still watching her on the camera.

Rogue looked down in disgust as her voice rang in his ear, "What's tha bright idea o' putting Double D on my name tag?" she asked in annoyance.

Remy was glad she wasn't around to see the giant smirk that had erupted on his lips. "Chere, it says DD. Dat's pronounced Dee Dee." he replied cheekily.

On the camera, Rogue's fists balled, "Don'choo play coy with me Swamp rat. Ah know this was no accident."

"Non, dose D's were no accident." he quipped.

"Ugh!" Rogue grunted as she disappeared from that camera's view. "Ya're impossible."

Remy swiped through the camera views on his phone until he found one of Rogue entering the Hotel's pool. The mark was swimming laps in the far lane. Rogue took a deep breath, straightened her shoulders and made her way over to him.

The man's name was Ernest Brightway, an Illinois Congressman in his late fifties who was in New Orleans for an event involving his favorite charity. Remy hadn't bothered to remember what the charity was, it didn't matter and he didn't care. He doubted Brightway cared either, bureaucrats were all the same.

Rogue tapped Brightway on the top of his swim cap as he came in for another lap. Brightway, startled, stood up in the water and looked at Rogue incredulously.

"Excuse me, sir." Rogue's voice was in his ear again, "Excuse me, Mr. Brightway?" her voice had lost its drawl and had become extremely shrill. Once she was sure she had his attention, she adjusted her bandana nervously, "Mr. Brightway, I'm DeeDee Price, Management has sent me to escort you back to your room. I'm afraid your room has been vandalized and we need you to come give your statement of all the things stolen to the police right away." her tone was urgent.

Brightway blinked, "Very well. I'll be right up. Let me change." he said hurriedly

Rogue shook her head, "There's no time, sir. We need to do this instant or else your claim will be denied. It's imperative we catch the police officers before they leave."

Brightway made a face, "Fine, fine." he conceded, pulling himself out of the pool and walking over toward a bench that held his towel and bag. He wrapped the towel around the speedo that he really shouldn't have been wearing. Sure, he was in good shape for his age, but that didn't mean he was in good enough shape for a speedo.

As Brightway slipped on his shoes, Remy started swiping his phone again to get a lock on where he knew they would be next: the elevator. He guessed as to which of the two elevators they would be in, and was delighted to see that he had guessed right as Rogue and Brightway entered the confined space.

"Rogue, has anyone ever told yo' dat yo' really pull off de maid look?" he asked cheekily.

Rogue looked to the camera in the elevator; the unamused look on her face was accompanied by her scratching her cheek using a very particular finger.

"Take dat as a 'non'." Remy mused.

Rogue and Brightway continued to stand awkwardly in the elevator until it finally dinged at the correct floor and they filed out. Remy swiped through the cameras again until he found the one closest to Brightway's door.

"Where are the police exactly?" Brightway's question was muffled as he moved further away from Rogue.

"They should be in the adjacent room." Rogue explained diligently, "Now go and make sure you assess what's been taken from your room first."

Brightway nodded as they came into view of the camera. He slid his card through the handle to unlock the door. Not wasting a second, Brightway burst into the room, ready to search through it franticly. Rogue followed after him and shut the door behind her.

Remy stared at the empty screen on his phone. He doubted it would take Rogue very long to extract the information the Guild needed to roll Brightway. Then Remy started to wonder how Rogue's mutation worked. The file had said she absorbed thoughts and memories and even abilities, but where did they go after they served their purpose? Surely they didn't stick around... did they?"

Before long, Brightway's door opened again and Rogue exited. She kept her head down so that the camera couldn't see her face. Despite the grainy nature of the camera and Rogue's attempt to conceal her identity, Remy could tell that she looked shaken.

Rogue ducked into a service elevator that she had stored her actual clothes in. Remy knew there was no camera in that elevator and couldn't help but be disappointed at his missed opportunity. Instead of dwelling on that, he exited the program on his phone and slipped it into one of his pockets. Now he just had to wait until Rogue appeared.

"Everyt'ing good, Rogue?" he asked after a couple minutes passed and he'd still yet to catch a glimpse of her coming out of the hotel's back entrance.

Rogue didn't answer and Remy felt his stomach clench. Had she betrayed him? If so, why right then? What had she seen inside the mind of Ernest Brightway? Remy got off his bike to investigate and as he started toward the building Rogue exited out an emergency exit hastily, nearly running right into him.

"Rogue?" Remy said in surprise.

Rogue looked up bewildered, her eyes narrowed, "Who are you? Where is Jenkins?"

Remy blinked, Rogue didn't sound like Rogue. She didn't even recognize him. Remy grabbed Rogue's shoulders tightly. "Rogue, snap outta it. Rogue!" he said desperately.

Rogue's top lips curled, "Who is Rogue? I am Ernest Brightway. Congressman Brightway to you."

"Non. Rogue. Yo' Rogue... I don' really know all dat 'bout yo', but I know yo' don' take nothin' layin' down. Fight dis, Rogue. Come back... come back t'me." The words just flooded out of him.

Rogue's eyes looked at him, but they didn't see him. Remy continued to hold her arms as he searched her eyes. Her pupils were tremoring back and forth as if she were in some sort of REM cycle.

Suddenly, Rogue's eyes began to focus once more.

Rogue blinked a few times. She looked at Remy in confusion, "LeBeau?"

Remy nodded in relief, "Oui, miss me?

Rogue touched her temple, "Not really." She replied, pulling away from him.

A smile touched Remy's lips, "I don' believe dat." he lead her to his bike, Now get on, we gotta report yo' findin's t'm'pere." He motioned to his bike.

Rogue shook Remy's hands off her and shoved her hands in her pockets. "Yeah, he's gonna love this." she said distantly, climbing onto the bike.

"Umm, Rogue. Dat's my bike." Remy reminded her timidly, as she gripped the handle bars.

Rogue leered at him over her shoulder, "An' ya point is?"

"I...I get t'drive?" he said scratching the back of his neck.

"Not today. Ya ridin' bitch."

Remy looked at her deadpan, "Yo' don' even know de way."

Rogue shrugged, "Tap me on the shoulder fo' which way Ah should turn. Now give me tha keys 'fore Ah hotwire it."

She didn't look like she was bluffing about hotwiring his bike, so Remy tossed her the keys and begrudgingly got on the back of the bike. However, he perked up a bit when he wrapped his arms around Rogue.

"Ya better watch where ya put ya hands, Swamprat, or Ah'll throw ya off tha bike." Rogue threatened.

"Swamprat? Dat yo' version o' ah term o' endearment?"

If Rogue answered him, he would never know what her retort was, as she revved the engine so loud he could hear nothing else beside it and the ringing in his ear.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry, I meant to post this sooner, sorry for the wait. It's also about 1 am my time, so I hope I caught any errors in my exhausted stupor.  
**

 **So I've been toying with the idea of writing a companion piece to this story from Rogue's POV. The reason being that this story will be majorly Remy's POV with a bit of Rogue's for dramatic irony. The way I have this story planned we won't know what Rogue was up to until the very end. So, is this something you guys might be interested in? If it were to happen, it wouldn't be posted until after this story was done to avoid spoilers and because I don't have anything started for it yet, just a outline of possibilities.**


	5. What Do Ya Think About That

Chapter 5: WHAT DO YA THINK ABOUT THAT

Once in Jean-Luc's office, Remy motioned for Rogue to take a seat. After her rather aggressive commandeering of his bike, Rogue had not said another word to him, she was even refusing to make eye contact. Remy, wasn't as bothered by her current behavior as he was by the whole episode after she'd come out of the hotel...

He had wondered what happened when Rogue absorbed someone, but never in his wildest dreams would he have guessed that Rogue would lose herself in the person she'd made contact with. The fact that he had indirectly caused that to happen to her made him sick to his stomach... actually the whole encounter made him sick to his stomach. Why had he asked her to come back to him? What was going on with him? In the two weeks he had known her he had grown to care for her... he didn't like that.

Rogue was sitting in a chair and was wringing out her gloved hands as she stared down at the floor. She looked so lost in herself. Remy was going to ask her if she felt okay, but thought better of it.

Jean-Luc breezed into his office and said to Remy in French, "And how did the mission go?"

Remy shrugged and replied in French, "Smoothly."

"Bon," Jean-Luc said as he sat down at his desk.

Rogue looked up at him. The first thing she noticed about the thieves' patriarch was the bright shining look in his eyes. It was a look she knew all too well, a look of greed. Her eyes narrowed, Remy could tell immediately that she was suspicious of him. Another thing they had in common.

Jean-Luc turned his attention from Remy to Rogue, "Bonjour Mademoiselle Rogue." he said formally, "M'son says dat yo' were successful in yo' objective." his eyebrows peeked up on his forehead, causing it to wrinkle.

"Ah was." Rogue replied cliptly, ceasing her figiting. Instead she sat up straighter and made direct eye contact with Jean-Luc.

A smile broke out on Jean-Luc's lips, "Bon." leaning forward so that his elbows rested on the desk and his head inclined toward her with the upmost curiosity, "Tell moi, Chere. How'd yo' crack Brightway? Seduce him? Lean on him?"

Rogue blanched at him and Remy realized he'd failed to point out the obvious to his father. "Ah used my mutant ability."

Jean-Luc's head tilted to the side, "Yo' some kinda mind reader?" Remy recognized the scheming undertone in his adoptive father's voice.

"Something like that." Rogue replied stiffly.

"Non," Jean-Luc shook his head and casually waved a finger at her. "Yo' wanna contract wit' de Guild, den I expect full disclosure on' what I'm gettin' int' bed wit'. What'ca got goin' on in dat belle head o' yours?" Remy watched as something shifted in Rogue. She was no longer distant. At Jean-Luc's words, something inside Rogue ignited, or reignited.

A dark look crossed Rogue's face, "Ya call yaself ah thief LeBeau, but tha kinda thief Ah am makes ya'll look like wannabes."

"An' why's dat?" Jean-Luc asked, slightly intrigued.

The smirk on Rogue's lips grew, "'Cause, ya steal material objects. Money, paintings, sculptures, rarities." Rogue shrugged, "Ah, on tha other hand, Ah steal ya hopes an' dreams, ya deepest desires." her lips curled sinisterly with her words. She held up her hand and removed the glove slowly- as if it were some sort of foreplay. "C'mere Jean-Luc, lemme graze my hand against ya. Lemme see what'ca got goin' on in that old head of yours. One touch will gimme all the disclosure Ah need. Ah'll know everything. Ya deepest and darkest secrets, how ya tick, how ya like ya eggs, name it. An' Ah'll get ah taste o' ya skillset that Ah can utilize. Here's tha kicker, Ah hold on long enough an' yo'll die." she stressed the last word.

Jean-Luc's eyes widened as he read between the lines. Slowly, he started to regard Rogue differently. The light in his eyes was back. They still shone with greed, but now they also had envy and a hint of cunning to come. Rogue was no stranger to that look either. Remy watched the two apprehensively from the doorjamb.

"Dat's very impressive, Chere. Mebbe after our X-men debacle is dealt with, yo' could find a home here wit' de Guild. You'd be very useful here." he said almost hopefully.

Remy didn't like the way his father was leering at Rogue, like she wasn't even a person. She was just a tool to him, a means to an end.

Rogue shook her head, "Ah don't exist ta be useful ta other people. 'Sides, Ah've done tha team thing. Ain' my style, Ah work ah-lone."

Behind them, Remy laughed, "Chere, de Guild is many t'ings, however, a team ain' one o' dem."

Jean-Luc glared past Rogue and at Remy, it was a warning to shut up, Remy knew it all too well. Turning a softer look to Rogue, Jean-Luc said, "Sleep on it, hein? In de meantime, what did Monsieur Brightway's soul tell yo'?"

Rogue's jaw clenched, "Mr. Brightway's got ah soft spot for young boys." she took a notepad and pen from the desk and scribbled a few words down on it, "Here's tha name o' an asset an' proof. Careful, tha man is very keen on his monthly hush money from tha Congressman."

She handed the pad back to Jean-Luc. Remy noticed that as soon as she did so, a weight seemed to lift off of her shoulders. He heard her take a deep sigh of relief. He could only imagine why.

"Merci," Jean-Luc said absently as he read over the information. 'It seems dat yo' on yo' way t'earnin' a contract wit' de Guild." he pulled an envelope out from one of his desk drawers and slid it over to Rogue. "Here's half, as agreed."

Rogue nodded curtly and took the envelope.

"M'boys will check out de information yo've provided. We'll be in touch. Remy, show de femme out." he ordered distantly as he started to toy with his computer.

Rogue stood up from the chair and exited the room with Remy on her tail. She walked fast and ahead of him, despite the fact that she didn't know where she was going. Every so often, Remy would call after her when she went the wrong way. When they finally reached the entrance hall, Remy caught her by the arm and forced her to look at him.

"Are yo' okay?" He couldn't help himself. He had to ask.

Pulling her arm from his grasp, Rogue said, "Not really. It's been less than three days since Ah was smacked ah-round by Captain Marvel like Ah was tha Hulk's favorite rag doll an' now Ah have ah child predator in my head fightin' for control o' my mind. But then again, this is practically an average Tuesday for me. So, if you'll excuse me, Ah have ah date with drinks that'll help me forget tha pain reverberatin' in my body an' tha disgustin' thoughts swirlin' 'round in m'head." she rambled off.

Remy blinked, "Lemme give yo' a ride t'where yo' stayin'." he said weakly.

Rogue laughed, "Yeah, like Ah'ma let ya'll know where Ah'm stayin'. Ya may slightly trust me, but Ah don' trust none o' ya'll. Ya could always just have me followed ah-gain." she said pointedly. Remy sputtered for a reply but Rogue cut him off before he could even start, "Save it. Ah'da done it too. Don' worry 'bout me. Ah can handle anything that comes my way." she said as an afterthought as she briskly walked through the front doors.

"Rogue, dat's a long walk!" he called after her.

"Ah could use the air." she returned over her shoulder as she ascended into the darkness of the summer night. Remy stood in the threshold of the Guild's headquarters, watching Rogue disappear down the driveway. He wanted nothing more than to follow her, not necessarily to where she was staying, but to the freedom that existed to a person like her. A person with no allegiances, a rogue.

* * *

Two days later, the Guild had successfully used the information Rogue had procured for them. With the Illinois Congressman added to the Thieves Guild pocket, they were ready to deal with their next big problem: The X-men.

Remy had managed to find Rogue at his bar, per usual. She didn't seem surprised when Remy told her that they were ready and willing for her to come aboard as a third party contractor. After a couple of drinks and a little coaxing, Remy talked Rogue into getting on the back of his bike and riding with him to the Thieves Guild Mansion.

Which lead to this moment.

There were plenty of thieves within the Guild, however, only a handful of them actually lived within the walls of the old plantation, all of those people and Rogue sat at a majestic old mahogany table in an elegant dining room that was only used for special occasions like Christmas and Easter dinner.

The LeBeaus sat on one side of the table with Jean-Luc at the head as Rogue sat by Remy and two vacant chairs on the other. Remy noted that the other six residents of the Manor were present and of them, his brother looked the most annoyed. Mercy sat to Henri's left, patting his arm calmingly as her ever present smile did little to brighten the room.

The three stooges that were cousins Theo, Emil and Etienne were all gapping at Rogue in a very unprofessional and very teenaged way. Rogue looked slightly uncomfortable under their stares and would send them a piercing glare when she caught one of them ogling her. Finally, Tante Mattie sat to Remy's left. Occasionally, Tante would lean forward and look past Remy at Rogue. She would continuously peer past Remy and at Rogue, then mutter something incoherently to herself and then nod her head like she had just affirmed a suspicion about Rogue.

Rogue looked out at them all dubiously, "How didja manage ta hold the X-men off in tha first place?" she asked incredulously, crossing her arms and squaring her shoulders, unimpressed by the members of the inner circle.

"By crossin' de line." Remy muttered, leering at his father. "De X-men are a self-righteous bunch. Dey weren't willin' t'sacrifice a teammate."

Rogue nodded and pursed her lips as she nodded in agreement, "Okay, what did they look like?"

"Dere was one wit' a visor! An' a brunette dat was runnin' through walls." offered Theo as he didn't even try to look Rogue in the eye.

Rogue snapped her fingers in front of her chest and then pointed to her eyes. "Up here, wise guy."

As Theo blushed sheepishly, Emil offered another description, "One wit'claws an' another wit' a metal body."

"Den dere was one wit' bones stickin' outta here." Jean-Luc recalled, resting his elbows on the table and his head against his hands.

Rogue nodded, "Sounds like Wolverine, Cyclops, Colossus, Shadowcat an' Marrow." she started to think more intently. "Ya say they weren't willin' ta sacrifice ah teammate? Who'd ya get, Cyclops or Marrow?"

"De fille." Remy said, leaning back in his chair.

Tapping her fingers against the table, Rogue said, "Ah see... when they come again, they won't bring Marrow. So don' bank on repeatin' that play. Wolverine will be back, 'cause ya've issued ah challenge he can't refuse, so Cyclops will be on his tail... the two got this rivalry. At this point it just a dick measurin' contest ovah ah dead telepath... Shadowcat is vital of this type of mission... so the only question is, will Colossus be back an' will they bring in anyone else?" she wondered aloud.

"I'm sure dat we can handle whatever dose Muties got." Henri said indignantly, he wasn't very found of Rogue's presence as both an outsider and a mutant. He also was unafraid to make that point scathingly clear. Remy did his best to ignore his brother's rampant double standards.

"Really?" Rogue asked in good humor. "'Cause they ain' even brought down their big guns. They got ah woman who can control tha weather. Tell me, Henri right? Tell me Henri, didja think Katrina was bad? Storm can make Katrina look like ah drizzle. Or how 'bout tha Omega level mutant who could turn every one o' ya inta popsicles? Hell, Xavier could infiltrate ya mind, force ya ta do his biddin' then leave with outta trace he was ever there."

Henri's eyes narrowed at Rogue as he muttered something offensive under his breath in French about "her kind".

"Henri!" Remy roared dangerously, coming to Rogue's defense.

Shrugging unapologetically, Henri said, "Non, I ain' buyin' none o' dis. She shows up outta de blue wit' a convenient vendetta against a common enemy? So what if she passed yo' little test, so she ain' an X-men. Don' mean she ain' gonna try an' screw us over. Jus' cause yo' an Pere are suckers fo' a pretty face an' a nice rack-"

Before Remy or Jean-Luc could silence Henri, Rogue was up out of her seat. She barreled over the table to Henri and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. She pulled him up out of his chair and away from Mercy. Rogue used her momentum to slam him against the wall and pin him here with her forearm by his throat.

"Listen ta me ya piece o' shit. Ah don' know what'ca deal is, nor do Ah care. Fact is, Ah'm ah mutant an' Ah'm tha only hope ya'll got o' fendin' off tha X-men. Ya just gonna haveta deal with that or else tha X-men are gonna come an' use what's left o' ya hair as a mop t'clean up ya family's blood. Ya underestimate them. Wolverine is ah stone-cold killah. Ah've witnessed it." Rogue whispered dangerously, "If he gets tha chance he will impale anyone in his way. You. Ya wife. Ya father. Ya brother. Me." she added solemnly, "Now, Ah'ma let'ca go, but Ah want'ca ta remember that if Ah wanted anything other than money an' revenge, Ah could easily take it without havin' ta put up with ya."

Rogue released him and stalked back to her chair. Henri stayed against the wall for a few more beats before he glanced to Jean-Luc then to Remy.

"Ah suggest ya double tha detail ya got 'round tha house. They won' stop tha X-men, but they'll slow 'em down." Rogue added calmly as she sat back down. She acted as though she hadn't nearly choked out the Guild's Heir-Apparent.

"An' jus' how we supposed t'stop 'em, if dey as deadly as yo' say?" Jean Luc asked as Henri returned to his seat. Henri cleared his throat, straightened his collar and ran and self-conscious hand over the bald spot in the middle of his head.

Laughing, Rogue replied, "Jus' leave stoppin' 'em ta me. Ya'll worry 'bout keepin' 'em busy til Ah can get ta ya. Ah'ma have my hands full, after all."

Remy shook his head, "Jus' hold 'em off? Can't say I like dat plan, Rogue." He pursed his lips as he watched Rogue's facial expressions carefully. Surely she wasn't really suggesting such a haphazard plan.

"Ya'll can knock 'em down all ya want, but Ah promise they'll continue ta get back up. Tha X-men are alotta things, but quitters ain' one o' them." Rogue said flatly.

After about half an hour filled with more bickering from the various members of the first family of thieves, they all eventually left prepared to play ball with Rogue's somewhat shoty plan.

Everyone left except for Remy, that is. He leant back in his chair and looked at Rogue carefully.

She was still black and blue from her run in with Captain Marvel, the bruises had begun to reduce in size and color, but she still looked worn out. Her hair was tied back in a messy bun and the green bandana that was her favorite accessory was slightly frayed.

Pressing a hand to her forehead, Rogue sighed and pulled absently at the hem of her gloves. "Tell me how ya have it guarded?" she referred to the package.

Remy shook his head, "Don' worry 'bout dat. Dat we got covered." he waved his hand dismissively.

Rogue looked at him from in-between her fingers, "Just tell me. Vaguely." she added in exasperation. "Ah havta make sure Kitty can't get to it if she walks through tha right wall. If she can, Ah haveta take her out first, but my primary target is Logan."

Remy made a face as he realized he had no idea which X-men she was referring to.

"Shadowcat an' Wolverine." she clarified.

"It's safe deep underground. It's protected by eye scanners, lasers, finger print scanners, a bunch booby traps, some C-4, a flood chamber an' a vault dat's suspended in de air dat only comes down t'de correct pass code." Remy explained.

Rogue nodded. "Good. Wolverine first it is."

Remy leant back in his chair and crossed his arms. He wasn't entirely sure what she meant by that. He wasn't sure how far she was willing to go. Surely she didn't think she could execute the X-men. Remy realized that was the wrong question. The question wasn't whether or not she thought she could do it, but whether or not she wanted to.

* * *

 **A/N: So I've been playing around with the Rogue POV version and I am gonna stick to the song titles as chapter titles in my outline. So the working title for Rogue's POV is "Southern Style" (look it up, even if you don't like country music, it reminds me a lot of Rogue), if anyone has any other suggestions, I am open to them. Hell, if I like a suggestion more I'm not opposed to changing the working title. Leave any suggestions in the Reviews (2 rules for suggestions, (1) must be a country song, (2) can't be a song that is/is going to be a chapter title).**

 **Also, Thank You to everyone who has favorited/followed/reviewed this story so far! I really do appreciate it! :D**


	6. Here's a Quarter

6\. HERE'S A QUARTER [CALL SOMEONE WHO CARES]

Remy leant against the doorjamb of the most casual living room inside the Guild's Mansion. With his arms crossed and one leg tucked behind the other, he watched Rogue. Her back was to him as she sat on the couch and ignored the dull glow of the television.

She was playing idly with the hem of her left glove with her right hand. Remy got the feeling that she wanted nothing more than to rip them off. It was a ritual he had become accustomed to; in the past two days that Rogue had stayed with them he had noticed her habitual behavior numerous times. Remy wasn't sure if it were due to the nerves pending an X-man raid or if she just despised her gloves.

During her brief stay, Remy was positive that Rogue had witnessed more than a few peculiar things occurring within the halls of the house Remy had once held in the highest esteem. The less she saw the better; the various criminal activities they took part in were below her.

Rogue turned her head slightly, as if she could sense she was no longer alone in the room. After a beat, she turned around completely and eyed him suspiciously.

"Something tha matter, Cajun?" her tone sharp.

Remy shook his head, "Non, jus' enjoyin' the presence o' a femme dat ain' bitchin' at me for some t'ing or another." he sighed.

Raising an eyebrow, Rogue took a guess, "Wedding plannin'?"

With a curl of his lips, Remy's distain colored his words as he said, "If yo' could call it dat."

A smile emerged at the corner of Rogue's lips, "S'matter, didn't get tha venue ya wanted?" she mocked.

Rolling his eyes, Remy moved from the doorjamb and over to the couch. For a millisecond, he considered sitting next to her, but quickly changed his mind. He sat on the coffee table adjacent to her, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Well, since hell's currently frozen over, we couldn't book it." he remarked dryly.

Rogue scooted back into the cushions and gave him a bored once over. "Trouble in paradise?" she asked absently.

"Trouble?" Remy scoffed. "Dat's an understatement. As fo' paradise, yo' need t'check yo' definition o' de word."

Rogue crossed her legs at the knee and rested her hands atop it. "Ya don' seem ta be givin' it much o' ah chance, Sugah." she said softly. Remy was surprised by her tone. It was the first time she had spoken to him as if she cared. However, looking into her eyes, Remy saw a reproachful look.

Squaring his jaw, he said defensively, "Yo' don' know de whole story."

"Ah guess Ah don't." Rogue conceded, turning her attention from him back to her gloves.

"Ain'ca curious?" He wanted her to be curious.

Rogue sighed; her eyes flickered back to his face. "Well, it seems as if ya're itchin' ta tell me."

Remy ran his tongue across his teeth as he clasped his hands together, "I don' like de way yo' look at me when Belle comes int' de fold." he admitted, his gaze drifting past her.

Rogue blanched at him, "Seriously? Ya're ah international, womanizing thief an' you don' like tha look in _my eyes_ when ya infidelity come up? Ain' not carin' what other folks think part o' ya job description?" she said in exasperation.

"It is, an' I don't." He murmured. "But'choo always look like yo' wanna lecture me. I t'ink de whole story would change yo' opinion."

"Fine." Rogue waved her hand dismissively. "Tell me how ya justify ya infidelity. Ah'm dyin' ta know." the sarcasm dripped from her words.

Remy glared at her, "When we were children, Belle an' I were close... She was de first girl I ever loved- de only actually. But den we grew up. We believed in different t'ings. We grew apart, no longer compatible; but Belle wasn't able t'let it go."

He took a deep breath and continued, "Wit' everyt'ing 'round us changin', she clung t'de only constant variable in our lives- me. Belle an' I ain't been a true couple since we was sixteen. It's been nearly a decade, an' suddenly our Pere's thought it'd be a clever play t'marry us fo' de sake o' peace. Belle was- an is- thrilled at de idea. I, however, have done every damn t'ing I can t'ink of t' try an' get outta this betrothal I didn't want."

He tried to convey the story in the shortest means possible in attempt to get her to understand. He wanted her to understand, he wasn't the bad guy here. He was just in a bad spot

After a beat, Rogue sucked her teeth and crossed her arms, "So ya justify ta actions as one giant temper tantrum an' ya expect that ta make tha judgmental look in m'eye ta disappear?" she laughed coolly. "Ya think ya're tha only one that has been forced inta situations ya didn't like? Ya're ah grown ass man. Ya'll get no pity from me. Ya could walk away from all ah this, but ya are ah coward. Instead o' sitting Belle down ya try ta take tha easy way out. Actin' like _you_ are tha victim here." her voice was growing louder and louder, "Ever think that Belle acts like that as ah copin' mechanism? Maybe that's how she's dealing with being forced ta marry ah selfish, yellow bellied sonva bitch. But then ah-gain, Ah doubt ya've ever gave ah damn 'bout what Belladonna wanted." she snarled. "Now get outta my sight fo' Ah personally fillet ya."

Remy blinked. Never had anyone dared call him out like that before. Nor had anyone ever spoken to him in such a way... usually people were afraid of him, be it because of his name, his reputation or his eyes. But not her. She wasn't afraid, she saw him for what he truly was. Not just a cunning thief, but a scared little boy who didn't want to be alone. As he pondered over these thoughts, his eyes glowed dangerously.

"Ah. Said. Leave." Rogue snapped, pulling off a single glove and glowering at him.

Remy should have gotten mad. If it were anyone else saying such things to him in his own home he would have been beyond pissed. Anyone else and he would have retaliated. But he didn't. Not to her. He wasn't sure why. Was it because she was a woman? Was it because she was absolutely right?

Or was it something else entirely?

Nevertheless, Remy huffed and stood from the coffee table. With a mocking bow he said, "As yo' wish Cherie." With that, he strode out of the room with a bravado to mask the fact she had just gutted his self esteem.

In the hallway post departure from the living room, Remy ran into Tante Mattie. The little old woman barely spared him a glance as she lightly pushed past him, bee lining for the room he had just left. Remy paused and watched Tante enter the room.

Knowing Tante Mattie as he did, Remy knew that she was seeking out their guest. For what, though, he was not sure. With Tante Mattie it could be anything from a deliverance of her self proclaimed "visions" or because she felt Rogue had not eaten enough.

Remy shook his head. Under normal circumstances, he would have tiptoed back to the entrance of the living room for some good old fashioned sleuthing, but considering the reaming he'd just received, he decided against it. Instead he swung by his room and grabbed his duster.

He was going out for the night. Rogue and her psychoanalysis be damned. He was about to spend the night proving her right.

* * *

 **A/N: Okay... so this is a short chapter and I apologize. It's basically filler because in the next chapter everything's going to hell.  
**

 ****PLEASE READ** So chapter 7 will be posted the second I have it edited (probably tomorrow, 6/7). This is because I am going out of town later this week and I won't be bringing my laptop, so I'm posting two chapters to make up for the fact that there will Not be an update next week.**

 **Regularly scheduled posting will return to normal the week of 6/21**


	7. Friends in Low Places

7\. FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES

On her third night in the Guild mansion, Rogue had fallen asleep on the couch that she had taken such a liking to in the living room. Remy had been wandering the mansion like the insomniac he was when he'd stumbled across her. She was sleeping with one leg propped up on the coffee table while her head was leaning against the backboard in a way that she was going to feel in the morning.

Looking around, Remy spotted a blanket hanging on a rack on the opposite side of the room. He took it from its place and gently draped it over Rogue. She inhaled deeply as he did so and Remy froze in hopes that he wouldn't wake her up. When Rogue stopped shifting, Remy let go of the blanket and slowly backed away. The last thing he wanted was her catching him in the act, there was no telling what her reaction would be. She'd probably accuse him of trying to suffocate her.

Remy exited the living room without as much as a look back. He maneuvered through the dark halls of the mansion with ease. He had become attune to walking around in the darkness, so the lightless hallways were familiar territory. Remy decided to make a beeline for the kitchen, hoping that maybe a midnight snack would help him fall asleep.

He sat down at the table with a bowl of frost flakes that he methodically fished out one at a time with his spoon. After a while he was just creating a current in the bowl of milk with his spoon as he waited for exhaustion to take him.

Padded footsteps drew his attention toward the doorway. He watched a slim figure that could only belong to one of two women currently residing in the Mansion. The figure wasted no time in the kitchen in going to the fridge. With the door opened, a light went off and cloaked her silhouette in a cloud of light.

"Raidin' de fridge at dis time o' night? How do yo' keep yo' girlish figure?" he asked from his own cloak of darkness.

Rogue whipped around at the sound of his voice. She calmed down immediately after she saw his glowing eyes in the darkness, and wondered why she hadn't noticed his eyes upon entering.

"Runnin' from my problems helps." She quipped reflexively.

This amused Remy, "Somet'ing we have in common, no?"

"No." Rogue said harshly, closing the fridge doors haphazardly.

Remy was about to open his mouth the reply but a red flashing light on and off, lighting up the kitchens for brief moments and casting ominous shadows from its two occupants caught his attention first.

Rogue looked to Remy, "It don' take ah rocket scientist ta figure out what that means." she muttered, discarding her gloves and tucking them into her belt.

"It's time t'pony up on yo' part o' de bargain, Cherie." Remy said, taking the lead out of kitchen. Remy couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the truth of his words. All the doubts that the Guild had about Rogue were about to be tested in the face of combat with her former allies.

Remy and Rogue met in the entrance hall with the other thieves who had been roused from their beds. They all looked somewhat disheveled as they stood wide awake in their pajamas.

"Any idea where dey are on de property?" asked Etienne as he rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand.

"Dey tripped a sensor on de north end." Responded Jean-Luc as he slinked from the shadows and into sight.

"Which means?" Rogue asked testily, annoyed with her ignorance.

"Means, dey're comin' through de front doors." Remy muttered to her.

A few antagonizing minutes passed as the Guild waited for the arrival of the X-men. Fortunately, the X-men didn't keep them waiting for very long. The ornate oak door was ripped off its hinges and X-men flooded in, Wolverine leading them.

Wolverine first caught sight of Remy. Looking at him with that feral grin of his, Wolverine growled smugly, " _Knock, knock_." However, Wolverine's eyes shifted from Remy to Rogue who was standing just a few steps behind him. "Rogue." Wolverine snarled. Remy tried to take a protective step in front of her, but Wolverine swiped past him and went straight for her.

Remy turned around to watch Rogue's eyes grow wide as she caught Wolverine just far enough away from her that the tips of his claws left three long scratches down her cheek. As she shoved him away, a trickle of blood ran down her face and neck so that it stained the collar of the old t-shirt she was wearing.

Remy started to come to her aid but Rogue stopped him, "Ah've got him. Handle tha rest until Ah put him down." she said through her teeth.

Turning his attention to the remaining X-men Remy started barking out orders to his family. "Theo, Emil, tie down de Iron Giant! Jean-Luc, Henri occupy red eye, Mercy try an' tail de girl who don' understand the laws o' physics!"

Remy didn't know where Tante Mattie was, but he hoped that she was far away from the entrance hall. A woman of her age and fragility needn't be caught up in something like this. Turning his attention to the only remaining X-men, Remy pulled out a deck of cards and started throwing them at him.

The man with a white and black uniform, with the white part making some odd looking star across his chest, managed to zip past Remy's projectiles and up into the rafters above them. That didn't deter Remy from keeping the man busy as if they were playing some odd version of hot potato.

While he battled off the new guy, Remy listened to battle monologue that Rogue and Wolverine were exchanging.

"I don't think ya realize what've gotten yerself inta here, Rogue." Wolverine's snarl carried an echo in the crowded room.

"No?" Rogue hissed as Remy tossed more cards the way of his opponent.

"Yer in over yer head." Wolverine growled.

"Ah think Ah've got it undah control." Rogue snapped. Remy heard the distinct sound of a direct hit.

Glancing over his shoulder, Remy saw Wolverine stumble backwards.

Gun shots echoed in the entrance hall, Remy whipped around to see Henri and Jean-Luc ducking behind a cedar chest, firing pistols on Cyclops, who was hiding behind an antique sofa that was now bullet ridden. Tante Mattie would not be happy when she came across that, assuming they survived this fight, they may not be so lucky to survive Tante's rage.

"What's yer play here? Huh?" Wolverine demanded of Rogue, "Teaming up with these low life's, ta what end?"

Rogue's quip was unheard to Remy as he was distracted by his opponents bounding back and forth among the rafters.

"It doesn't haveta be like this." Wolverine said to Rogue. "Ya could still leave with us."

Remy spared a look back at Rogue and Wolverine, Rogue was shaking her head at the small, hairy man. "Can't do that, Logan." she was out of breath, "Ah ain' got what Ah came for. Now quit holdin' back. It's showtime." She leapt toward Logan, her bare hands out for the kill.

Turning his attention back to the bat in the rafters, Remy kept him there with some skillfully tossed cards that just barely missed him every time. The guy was fast, Remy'd give him that.

"Don't tell me the Wolverine has grown soft in my absence?" Rogue mocked loudly.

Meanwhile, Remy was growing frustrated with his opponent. He swore in French before shouting, "Come down here an' fight me like a man!"

The man bounded back down to the ground so that he was standing right in front of Remy, "Not if you keep using such obscene words." he said condescendingly before disappearing back up into the rafters.

"Oh, I'll give yo' obscene words." Remy muttered, taking a step back.

In the background, Remy heard someone yelp. He turned to assess what had happened, only to find Henri lying on the ground some fifteen feet behind the chest he had been taking cover behind.

Just when Remy thought things were getting bad, they got worse. A screechy gasp as if someone were drawing their last breath sounded to his left. Looking toward that sound, Remy caught sight of Rogue standing eerily still with Wolverine's hand formed in a fist against her stomach. Rogue held onto Wolverine's shoulders as her eyes widened. The tips of Wolverine's three metal claws poked out of Rogue's back.

"ROGUE!" Remy screamed out of instinct as he realized the severity of what he was witnessing.

"There's tha Wolverine Ah was lookin' for." Rogue said as the blood pooled out of the sides of her mouth. "Now's time for my rebuttal." a smirk touched her blood stained lips as her arms flew up and grabbed Wolverine's face.

Remy could only stare as Wolverine's eyes flew open in shock as Rogue took what she needed. First, the scratches on Rogue's face disappeared, and then she pulled Wolverine's claws out of her with one hand as she continued to hold onto his face until the three holes in her stomach became whole once more. When she was done, she pushed the now unconscious Wolverine away from her and let his body hit the floor. She turned her attention to the rest of the fights in the entrance hall.

The first thing she saw was Remy staring at her in utter awe. She gave him a smile before she drew in a deep breath and briefly enjoyed how easy it was to do so without metal claws puncturing her internal organs. Briefly surveying the area, she must have decided Remy was having the most trouble or in the most danger because she went right to him.

Or maybe it was something else drove her to him first, but Remy didn't dwell on that.

"Yo' good cherie?" Remy asked her the second she was next to him.

Rogue scoffed, "Gonna take more than stabbin' me in tha gut ta kill me."

"Noted," Remy said in relief as he tossed more cards at the man above him.

"Imma need ya ta actually hit Northstar, Sugah." Rogue said impatiently.

"Been tryin'." Remy replied through his teeth, "He ain' exactly an' easy target."

Remy knew he was right this time. This Northstar was too fast to be a long range target, and he wasn't stupid enough to come close except that one time he taunted Remy.

Rogue took another deep breath and stepped in front of Remy and started shouting, "Jean-Paul! Seems ta me like ya're the same ball-less pussy ya was when Ah left. Come down here and face me..." she added one final word to the end of her sentence, a terrible slur for a man of his sexuality.

Northstar stopped dead when Rogue's words reached him. Remy had to admit that they had taken him by surprise as well. Northstar's face ranged a bunch of different emotions starting with hurt and ending in anger. In that ending fit of rage, Northstar darted at Rogue. Remy finally understood her play when he watched her hand- now equipped with three bone claws escaping from her knuckles- rise up to meet Northstar.

Remy could only stare at the sight of Rogue impaling her former teammate like Wolverine had done to her just a few moments earlier. Northstar's eyes widened as he looked down at where her fist met his stomach in confusion. Some blood leaked from his stomach and stained the white fabric of his uniform as Rogue caught him and lowered him down to the ground gently.

"Ah'm sorry, JP." Rogue whispered to him as he laid his head on the ground. It looked like Rogue kissed his cheek, almost his ear before she stood up to deal with the rest of the X-men.

Unable to shake the look of shock plastered on his face, Remy tried to say something to Rogue, but couldn't. She had just shelved one of the most infamous X-men and killed another in front of his very eyes. Of all the things he'd thought her capable of cold blooded murder was not one of them. He was starting to wonder just what kind of person Rogue was after all, and if her behaviors were justified or if she were no better than the rest of them.

NORTHSTAR!" cried Cyclops as he spotted his teammate's unmoving body on the ground. He looked directly at Rogue, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" he demanded in anguish.

"Ah've sent a message" Rogue replied, "Northstar is dead. You Are Next." she snarled, dried blood still coating her face and stomach. Northstar's fresh blood covered her hand.

"I don't think so."

Rogue and Remy whipped around to see the petite brunette, who Remy had come to assume was Shadowcat, clutching the fabric of both Wolverine and Northstar's uniforms. She glowered at them as she phased down through the floor, taking them with her.

Colossus let out a furious cry as he finally broke free of the trick wires the Marceax's had contained him with. "Cyclops, now would be good time for plan of the B."

"But!" Cyclops objected.

Colossus shook his head, "We have been bested, my friend."

Cyclops's lips curled as he acknowledged the Russian's point. He cranked up the knob on the side of his visor. Rogue's eyes widened as she recognized what that meant.

"TAKE COVER!" she cried as Cyclops opened fire on the Guild. This wasn't a typical blast either, this blast wasn't as controlled, its range was wider and its power more raw than anything Cyclops usually fought with.

Before Remy could react, Rogue tackled him to the ground and shielded his body with her own. While Cyclops's blasts were not of the laser variety, they were able to repel things with such force that it was similar to the effect of a bug smacking against a windshield. They were the bug, his blast was the windshield.

Clutching Remy tightly, Rogue maneuvered their bodies so that as they twisted as they skidded across the floor so that she would take the brunt of the force and the coming blow from the wall. With Logan's healing factor on retainer, she harbored no fear of permanent injury.

Rogue grunted as she took the entirety of the blow with her own body as they smacked against that far wall. Remy found himself in a very favorable position, with his head nestled between Rogue's breasts, while the rest of their bodies were tangled.

"At dis rate, Imma start t'inkin' yo' care 'bout me." Remy said cheekily.

Rogue shoved Remy off of her and rolled her eyes. She jumped to her feet and looked around wildly for any trace of the X-men. They were gone. Using Cyclops's beams as a decoy, they had fled the Guild Mansion.

Remy had the instinctive feeling that now that they knew Rogue was here, they wouldn't be back.

Remy made mental notes of his family as he surveyed the demolished entrance hall. Henri and Jean-Luc were stirring at the top of the staircase that they had been propelled up; Mercy had just made her way back to the hall and was at Henri's side as she attempted to help him to his feet. Theo and Etienne poked their heads out from the doorjamb of the adjacent room they had ducked in to escape the blast as Emil tediously made his way through the front door.

Emil looked around in confusion.

Remy's scathing glare was upon his cousin, "An' where de hell were yo'?"

Emil rubbed the back of his neck, "I was tryin' t'hack int' dat fancy jet o' dere's."

Remy stormed over to Emil, about to ring him out with his fists when Rogue caught Remy's attention. Rogue fell to her knees, clutching her head. She moaned in pain as bone claws erupted from her hands only to retract and erupt again. As she knelt there, attempting to regain control of herself, she suddenly began to levitate off the ground.

"What's she doin'?" Theo asked, his brow furrowed as he eyed her cautiously.

Emil made a face, "Her file said she was prone to being overwhelmed by too many psyches. T'ink 'bout it, Captain Marvel last week, Congressman Brightway a few days ago-"

"Wolverine an' Northstar jus' now." Remy added quietly.

Emil nodded, "I doubt her mind has had enough time t'completely process an' file away all dose separate personalities from her own, causin' this." he motioned a hand toward Rogue's still floating body. She writhed in the air, but none of them were sure how to help her, or if they should even attempt to.

Remy thought back to the other day after Rogue had absorbed Brightway and she hadn't recognized him, or more importantly, herself. He hoped that this would not be a similar experience. He could only assume that it would be worse this time around.

Rogue's piercing screamed deafened Remy's ears as the fear washed over him. As she continued to clutch her head, two claws on her left hand retracted, leaving only one. Slowly, Rogue started to lift higher and higher into the air.

Remy caught Rogue's ankle and pulled her back to the ground as calmly as he could until he was grasping her shoulder. "Rogue!" he said desperately, "Rogue!"

She said only one word before she collapsed into Remy's chest, unconscious. Her voice had been so meek and tender that had Remy not witnessed it come out of her mouth, he wouldn't have believed such a tone were possible from the fierce woman that he clutched onto.

"Help." she had whispered.

* * *

 **A/N: To recap, there won't be a update next week but this should be a one-time thing. Also, with this chapter we have reached just beyond the half way mark! Thank you for the well wishes on my trip!**

 **To (possibly) answer Paulina Ann's comment about Rogue being too harsh, I am totally aware that she was/is. However because this is Remy's POV we don't get to see why she is acting like that. I will address it in a later chapter (possibly extensively if I write the companion piece from her POV). Specifically the penultimate chapter is a Rogue POV chapter that goes back and recaps some of the major plot points so we finally know what she was up to/thinking. Think of it like the flashback montage of an episode of Leverage where it shows the team's slight of hand! And as for Belle, I have plans for her too :), this isn't your standard "Belle is an antagonist and evil incarnate" story, I find that trope tired. I tried to make her human, or at least as human as someone whose day job is being an assassin can be. I hope that answer suffices! **


	8. Somethin' Bad

8\. SOMETHIN' BAD

Tante Mattie had taken up residence at Rogue's bedside while the green eyed woman lay unconscious in one of the spare bedrooms that had been long ago converted into a make-shift hospital room.

Mattie was akin to a guard dog as she sat quietly in a chair near Rogue's head and silently knit the beginnings of an afghan. In the few hours Rogue had been unconscious, Mattie had already shooed away the juvenile antics of Theo and Etienne, along with the curious eyes of Mercy and the up-to-no-good presence of Jean-Luc.

Every so often, Rogue's heart beat would spike and her body would twitch. Mattie had stopped jumping to her feet to investigate as it had become a regular occurrence. In fact, sometimes Rogue would even mumble incoherent sentences, but Mattie had been able to make out a few words here in there, mostly it was just names she muttered.

Mattie found this peculiar, but figured it was a good sign that Rogue spoke at all. She wasn't in a coma, she was just unconscious, and that was the best thing that had come out of that day so far. The worst being that her favorite love seat in the entry way had been destroyed. Mattie did her best not to fret about her lost antique.

When Rogue finally started to come to, Mattie watched her curiously. The first thing Rogue did was run her free hand down the cord that attached her right index finger to the heart monitor she was hooked up to. She blinked exaggeratedly a few times and then rolled her shoulders to test for stiffness.

"Bon, yo awake." Tante said, calling Rogue's attention, "Gave us quite de scare. Couldn't even properly medicate yo', de IV kept comin' outta ya hand. Ain' never seen nothin' like it 'fore."

Rogue nodded weakly, "Yeah, tha feral mutant, Wolverine, he has ah very nice healin' mutation that Ah absorbed when he stabbed me."

"I see," Mattie commented, accepting that explanation. She scratched her cheek and said, "Yo' very fond o' dat Wolverine, no?"

Rogue looked at her puzzled before replying with a shaken, "No, not anymore."

A sly smile crossed Mattie's lips, "Mmmhhmm,." she hummed, not believing Rogue for a second. "Tell me, Cherie, what was it like t'be stabbed by an' den stab yo' former friends?"

Rogue eyed Mattie long and hard, she was searching Mattie for what she thought the right answer was. When Rogue found no answer in Mattie's eyes she settled for one word, "Liberating'."

Mattie raised an eyebrow, "Dat so?" she mused. "Den yo' always cry out names in yo' sleep?"

As Rogue's eyes narrowed, "What names exactly?" she asked suspiciously.

Mattie shrugged, "Mostly men's names, Logan, Jean-Paul, Cody, even tha name Carol... Dose yo' ex's?" her tone was suggestive.

Rogue's lips pursed as she tried to swallow a smile, "Jus' one. Ah'll let'ca guess as ta which one that is."

Mattie laughed at Rogue's dry tone, "Tell me, Rogue, how do yo' absorbin' work, per say, wit' de other personalities?" Mattie couldn't help herself; her curiosity had gotten the best of her.

Rogue examined her hands and said, "ah lotta people think Ah steal souls with a simple touch, but it ain' like that. Ah don' take ya soul, instead ah piece or ah copy o' tha psyche- tha ID, tha Ego, tha Superego alla it imprints itself inta m'mind.

"So dey become apart o' yo'?"

Rogue shrugged, "Sorta. When there's ah-lotta someone in my head they tend ta take on their own personalities an' ain' afraid to voice their opinions on my daily tasks. It's like havin' ah critic backseat drivin' every damn choice Ah make."

Mattie's face softened as she continued to regard Rogue, "Interestin'. An' how do' yo' tell yo' own thoughts from dere's?"

"Ya think ya psychic, ya tell me."

Mattie chuckled, "M' inner voice can' read de extra inner voices in yo' head."

Rogue looked at her smugly, "Fair enough. Ah can tell tha difference 'cause my thoughts don't scream in my head." She remarked as she started to sit up in the bed.

Remy had been leaning in the doorjamb for most of their conversation, but with their backs to him, they had failed to notice. However, when he felt that Tante Mattie had begun prying too far into the enigma that was Rogue, he cleared his throat. If anyone was going to solve the puzzle that Rogue presented to them, it would be him.

"Tante." he said, "Stop wit'choo twenty questions. Let de femme rest."

Rogue and Mattie turned at the sound of his voice. Rogue gave him a stony look and Mattie looked at him in amusement

"It's 'bout time I made breakfast anyway." Mattie spared a glance at Rogue as she stood up, "Feel better soon, Cherie."

With Mattie's abrupt departure, only Rogue and Remy were left in the room. Rogue turned her attention to Remy, "Ya know how long Ah've been out?" she asked, rubbing her face in exhaustion.

"Goin' on six hours." Remy replied slipping into the chair Mattie had just vacated.

Rogue inspected his face, "Don' look like ya've slept."

Rogue's statement doubled as a question and Remy thought back to the last time he had actually slept... he was sure she was staring at the dark circles under his eyes, "Been a few days, I guess." he said nonchalantly.

Rogue raised an eyebrow, "days?"

"A thief keeps strange hours." he crossed his arms as he got comfortable in the chair.

"So Ah've noticed," Rogue muttered dryly.

As the silence sunk into the air around them, Remy became more and more uncomfortable. Actually, he wasn't sure what was making him uncomfortable the silence or the guilt of Rogue laying in a hospital bed bearing down on him. "Does dat happen often?" Remy mumbled to the point that Rogue almost didn't hear him.

"Gonna haveta be more specific, Sugah." Rogue blanched.

"De t'ing where yo' powers overload." Remy clarified.

Rogue took a deep breath that trembled ever so slightly, "More times than Ah'd like ta admit."

Remy's mind started to race as he attempted to piece her together. "Is dat why yo' hate de X-men? 'Cause instead o' helpin', dey made it worse?" Did they exploit her? Cause her to absorb too much and send her into a worse off state than the what he was currently witnessing?

"Among other things." Rogue replied cryptically, not meeting Remy's gaze.

"Y'know, I know a t'ing or two 'bout bein' unable t'control m'powers." Remy's tone was soft.

Rogue let out a breathy chuckle, "Really? 'Cause Ah don' see ya accidently blowin' shit up evah."

A small smile crept on Remy's face, "Not anymore, non. Mebbe I could help yo'."

Rogue shook her head, "Tha greatest telepath in history was unable ta help me. What makes ya think ya can." she inquired.

"Experience. Arrogance. Determination." he replied.

Rogue stopped paying attention to him; she had lifted up a clenched fist and was examining it intently as three bone claws tore through her skin. She watched it sadly, turning her hand this way and that so both she and Remy could see it at every angle.

"There ain' notin' ah thief like ya could do ta help me. Not with this." she replied quietly. Before Remy could reply, Rogue started to flinch, in a seizure-like episode she shut her eyes and clenched her jaw as she attempted to ride out the wave of pain washing over her.

Remy jumped to his feet and hovered over her as he waited helplessly for her episode to pass. Her breathing was irregular, like she was losing oxygen. Just as Remy was about to call Tante Mattie back into the room, Rogue stopped her seizure-ish performance and lumped back into the bed, her breathing and her heartbeat stabilizing.

"Rogue?" Remy asked worriedly.

"Ah'm fine," Rogue panted, "Ah jus'... tha voices... sometimes they're so loud that Ah can't function."

Remy's brow furrowed, "Yo' gettin' worse every time yo' use yo' powers." he realized.

"Job hazard." Rogue muttered as she sat up again, "Don't worry ah-bout me. Ah'll be fine. Ah jus' gotta lock those psyches back up ah-gain."

Remy didn't comment as Rogue's eyes fluttered shut. He figured she needn't been interrupted while she attempted to piece back together the fragments of her fragile mind. Instead, he sat down at the foot of her bed. With Tante now in the kitchen, someone needed to keep watch over Rogue. He didn't trust his family to let her recover in peace. He was sure that some of them didn't even want her to recover.

About an hour later, Remy had repositioned himself back into the chair at Rogue's bedside. He was lost in his own thoughts when the door flew open and two more peopled joined them inside the room. Remy was less than thrilled by who the new occupants happened to be.

Belladonna was flanked by her brother, Julien. Remy did his best to keep himself composed. If there was one person he resented more than Belladonna, it was Julien. Remy looked at them boredly, "Somet'ing de matter?"

Belladonna's eyes narrowed, "Oui. Yo' should be makin' weddin' preparations wit' me, but instead yo' holed up in here. Wit' her." Belle's eyes lingered on Rogue longer than Remy was okay with.

"Yo' really made de trip over here at seven in de morin' for dat." Remy asked testily.

"Non." Julien replied before his sister could. "We had matters about the upcomin' truce t'discuss an' word o' yo' showdown last night spread awful quick."

Remy resisted the urge to huff out a sigh, all that Julien's veiled mock meant was that on top of all his other problems, his Guild had a rodent infestation.

"Everyt'ing was handled, as yo' can tres well see." Remy replied harshly.

Belle crossed her arms, "Pray tell, why are yo' here wit' de mercenary yo' hired?" she demanded.

Ignoring the ironic hypocrisy in her statement, Remy replied, "She saved m'life. De least I can do is nurse her back t'health or at least consciousness."

"I'm sure dat's all yo' wanna do wit' her." Julien muttered out of the side of his mouth, walking around Belle and Remy so that he was standing at the foot of Rogue's bed. He examined her sleeping form with interest, "She awful belle, LeBeau. Shame 'bout her…condition. She a fine piece o' ass."

Remy sprung out of his chair before he could even consider his actions, "Yo' shut yo' mouth." he growled to Julien.

Julien's head tipped to the side, "Struck a nerve, did I? Shoulda figured. Remy LeBeau always has a soft spot fo' de newest an' shiniest toy on de block."

The sounds from their heated exchange was enough to bring Rogue from her regenerative sleep, as her eyes fluttered open and she looked confused as to the horde of people around her bed.

"Don' mind me." she said sleepily, "Ah'm jus' recoverin' from ah hulkin' migraine. But please, continue ta yell. It is doin' wonders for my pain levels." she said dryly. She looked curiously at Julien, "Who's de walkin' ball of creepy?"

"Julien Beaudreaux." the man introduced himself to Rogue with far more respect than he had had when speaking of her a moment earlier.

"Ahh." Rogue hummed, "Another assassin. Joy. Do me ah favor, if ya try ta kill me, don' touch me. Ah can' handle another psyche right now."

"Yo' assume yo'd survive an attempt on ya life from me?" Julien asked incredulously, his head tilting slightly.

Rogue said an eyebrow as she kicked off the blanket covering her body. "Oh, Ah know Ah would."

Remy slipped between Rogue and Julien's line of sight, blocking Rogue from the Assassin Prince's view. "If yo' here t'discuss an accord wit' mon Pere why are yo' in here? Jean Luc's office is on de other side o' de house. Y'know dat."

"Annoyin' when people don' do what dey're supposed t', no?" Julien quipped.

Remy glowered at him, "Ain' it 'bout time yo' scrammed?" It wasn't a question.

Rogue, already having enough of the ongoing pow-wow around her, kicked her feet off the side of the bed. Without another second's hesitation, she got to her feet. She watched in curiosity as Belladonna and Julien's eyes widened at the sight of her. Rogue followed their line of sight as caught sight of the ripped cloth around her stomach that was stained a dark red with her own dried blood.

Despite the three tears in her shirt, she had neither cuts nor scars that left any evidence that she had been stabbed just a few hours earlier.

Rogue shrugged, "Ain' exactly easy ta kill me." she said as she ripped the heart monitor off of her hand. As the monitor flat lined, Rogue sauntered past all of them. "Ah was contracted ta carry out ah job, an' Ah intend ta see it through." she said confidently.

She left the three New Orleans natives standing in the room. She was not in the mood to participate in one of their immature bickering matches. As Rogue trifled through the house, she paid little to no attention to where she was actually going. She didn't really care, her head was throbbing so much that she just wanted to be in some peace and quiet. She'd been through five hour Danger Room sessions with Logan that were more relaxing than being in the same room as those three.

As Rogue turned yet another corner, she bumped into someone. She was less than thrilled then she caught sight of the salt-and-pepper hair that belonged to Jean-Luc. The patriarch of the Thieves Guild backed up a couple steps immediately and sized her up. "Rogue?" he said in surprise.

"Jean-Luc," Rogue replied cliptly.

"On yo' feet already?" he was clearly impressed.

Crossing her arms, Rogue replied, "Everyone seems so surprised."

Jean-Luc shrugged, "Us normal people take more den a few hours t' recuperate... dat an' yo don' look like one o' dem."

"One ah them?" Rogue repeated coarsely.

"Mutant," Jean-Luc clarified, "Remy got dem eyes, but yo'... yo' look like everyone else. Jus' wit' questionable taste in headgear." he motioned to Rogue's ever present bandana.

Rogue's jaw clenched, "Yeah. Ah guess Ah do look like everyone else." she said dangerously, "But don' forget, Jean-Luc, Ah ain' like everyone else. Ah am ah mutant, an' Ah ain' a mutant that yah can't manipulate on ya chessboard o' greed."

Jean-Luc smiled, he shook his long crooked index finger at her jovially, "An' dat's why I like yo'. Yo' a wild card. Now like de wild card Remy likes t't'ink he is, a legitimate one dat don' take nobody's shit."

Rogue's fists balled at her side. "Don' try ta butter me up." she seethed, "Ah know ya type. Ah see how ya exploit ya family, ya son. Ah had an adoptive mother jus' like ya. Ah know all tha tricks 'cause Ah've already fell for 'em all. Until we officially move tha item, ya'd be wise ta keep ya comments to yaself."

With that Rogue brushed past him rather violently. She had had it up to her forehead with the entirety of this job and was counting the seconds until she could pack up and leave this shady Guild forever.

* * *

Remy sat in Jean-Luc's office, rubbing his face in exhaustion. Belladonna and Julien had finally left after an hour of nonsensical bullshit. They had not come to discuss matters of the treaty like they had claimed when the stormed into Rogue's hospital room. They had come to not-so-covertly check out what exactly had happened that morning.

Jean-Luc still sat behind his desk, unconsciously mimicking Remy's face rub.

"When do we move it?" Remy asked.

"Tomorrow night. Fence is still finishin' up a deal in de Mediterranean. He should be back by den t'take it off our hands. Good riddance." Jean-Luc added in annoyance.

"He's got a buyer?"

Jean Luc scoffed, "Boy dat wasn' no smash an' grab fo' de hell o' it. It was contracted. We jus' needed t'wait fo' de most opportune time t'have Fence deliver it t'de client."

Remy's eyes narrowed, he hadn't known that. "Who's de client?"

Jean-Luc smiled broadly at him, "Dats need t'know, Remy. Yo' don' need t'know."

Remy sucked his teeth, "Do y'know what dey plan t'do wit' it? Do yo' got any idea how dangerous it can be?"

Jean-Luc shrugged, "Dat ain' m'problem. M'only business is de price dey willin' t'pay. An' dey willin' ta pay a lot." he said happily. Jean-Luc caught the sullen look on Remy's face, "Cheer up boy, fo' once everyt'ing is goin' right. De X-men are twenty four hours away from being outta our hair, de Assassins Guild are one hundred forty four hours away from bein' a smaller pain in de ass an' we might jus' be able t'convince dat femme t'stay on as a contractor." Jean-Luc was practically giddy. Remy had never seen him giddy, it was unnerving.

Remy shook his head as his father. Of course, Jean-Luc was once again scheming. If Jean-Luc had his way then by the end of the week Remy would be wed to his worst nightmare, Rogue would become another one of his pawns and Jean-Luc would get to sit on a fat pile of money.

Remy stood up and bid his father a quiet goodbye. With his gaze on the floor, he left the room and made up his mind as to what he would do.

* * *

 **A/N: AANNDDD I'm back. I have returned from my trip tanner, fatter and with a renewed hatred for sand (that's right folks, I went to the beach with mia famiglia). That said, updates will now return to the usual weekly schedule, sorry again for my absence.  
**

 **So I realized after I posted the last chapter that it was either the best or the worst chapter to leave as a two week cliff hanger. I hope that no one hates Rogue after that and I know I don't really address what happened with the Xmen in this chapter, BUT we did get a smidgen of pseudo-Rogue POV that dropped some hints as to her issues with the Guild/Remy. More to come on that subject later.**

 **NEXT WEEK: We find out what this "item" is (finally). There may or may not be some smooching (not telling who). And Somebody makes a terrible mistake (possibly more than one somebodies, depending on your interpretation). Enjoy!**


	9. This Kiss

9\. THIS KISS

In the early hours of the morning before Fence was due to arrive, Remy was awake. He may have made up his mind about what he wanted to do that evening in Jean-Luc's office, but now that the time was upon him, he was having trouble making his body carry out his plan.

Remy sat on the edge of his bed in his childhood bedroom, his elbows resting on his knees as he stared at the various trinkets in his room. The picture of a teenage Henri and Merci along with a prepubescent, pie faced version on himself, the various box sets of television series regarding intergalactic space travel cluttering the floor and dresser tops.

He stood and grabbed some keys off the nightstand. He took a long look at the room and inhaled one long breath. On his way out he flipped the picture so that it was face down.

In the hallway, Remy moved slowly. With his hands fisted in his pockets, he made his way toward the room that Rogue had taken up occupancy in since the X-men raided the Guild.

Remy stood outside the door for more than a few beats as he weighed his options for the final time. There would be no looking back after this. Rolling his neck, Remy opened the door to see Rogue balled up in the middle of the bed, her soft snores filling the room.

"Rogue." he whispered.

"No, Ah don't wanna." Rogue replied groggily.

"Rogue!" Remy snapped.

Rogue sat up in a panic, "Ah ain't eating no brussel sprouts." she gasped, looking around wildly. "Remy?" she rubbed her eyes and glanced at the alarm clock on the far dresser. It blinked in green blocks: 3:15. "If this is ya seduction game then it's ah wonder ya've ever had consensual sex at all." she muttered.

Remy scoffed, "Um, no dis ain' m' style, an' I've had plenty o' consensual sex, t'ank you very much. Now get up."

"Why?" she demanded incredulously. "It's tha middle o' tha night. Are tha X-men here again?"

"Because thieves don' operate on a civilian operated clock." He huffed, "An' no. No X-men on the premises. Now, we got work dat needs t'be done."

Rogue glared at him, still wrapped up in the sheets. "Ya're so full o' shit, Ah bet'ca if ya weren't ah mutant ya eyes would be shit brown." she hissed in annoyance, kicking the duvet off and making her way to her feet.

Rogue was wearing her pajamas, which consisted of a baggy LSU shirt Theo had donated to her and a pair of Merci's shorts that were barely long enough to peak out from under the hem of the shirt.

"Yo' might wanna get dressed."

"Ya might wanna try knockin' fo' ya scare the holy hell outta someone." Rogue muttered in rebuttal, turning her back to him and slipped off the shorts in favor of a pair of jeans. She grabbed her bra off the floor and managed to put it on without removing the shirt. As she slipped her shoes on Remy spoke again, his gaze fixed on the floor.

"Got anyt'ing o' value in here?" he asked casually.

Rogue made a face at him, "What?" she said in exasperation.

Remy shrugged, "Best not t'leave t'ings unattended in a house full o-"

"Full of thieves, Ah get it." she murmured as she pulled her hair into a ponytail.

Remy watched her curiously, "How come you never take dat bandana off? Better yet, how does it always stay on."

"Ah got ah bald spot." Rogue remarked dryly. "An' crazy glue."

"Is de bald spot from de crazy glue?"

The scalding glare he received from Rogue warned him she was not in the mood for cheekiness. "Yo' ready?" he asked.

Rogue nodded and Remy licked his lips and ducked out of the room without another word. He lead her down the hallway toward the stairs in the foyer. Rogue was uncharacteristically close lipped throughout their journey to the point Remy would frequently look over his shoulder to ensure himself she was still there.

He lead her into the kitchen and made a beeline for the pantry.

"Are ya kiddin' me?" Rogue griped, "Ya woke me up in tha middle o' tha night for ah god damn midnight snack?" she was outraged.

Remy smirked as he reached past the food and searched the wall with his hand for the latch. When he found it he forced it open and swung the false wall back to reveal a tunnel. He could hear Rogue's jaw drop from behind him.

He started to descend down into the dimly lit corridor, as they climbed down the stairs, he began to explain, "De LeBeau Plantation used t'be apart o' de underground railroad. De Guild would recruit slaces int' de business in exchange fo' deir freedom. De tunnels run all t'rough dis city... Some o' dem tend t'flood though."

Rogue stayed close on Remy's heels, not wanting to accidentally take the wrong step. "Ah don' understand. Why are ya tellin' me this? Are we goin' ta tha vault? Why are we doin' this fo' the fence shows up?"

"Ain' a fence, Cherie." Remy corrected her, "Fence. A man called Fence, is comin' t' procure de item later t'day."

"Exactly, _later._ " Rogue said in annoyance. "Seriously, LeBeau, why are we alone? Have ya finally lost all ya marbles?"

Remy laughed heartedly, "Dat would require I had any marble t'begin wit', no?"

 _"_ Got me there." She said out of the side of her mouth as she inspected the stone walls encasing them with interest.

Rogue continued to follow Remy wordlessly through the catacombs. She remained a silent passenger as Remy maneuvered around the various security measures that included a finger print scanner, a retinal scanner, a keypad with a fifteen digit pass code.

With that door open, the duo continued on their trek down the dark and deserted tunnels. After five more minutes, they came across another shiny metal door. Remy punched in another code into the keypad by the door, took a step back and waited.

The familiar sound of gears grinding told Remy that the suspended safe was climbing back up to their level. With one final clenching sound, the door opened with a decompressing hiss. Remy stepped out of the way and motioned for Rogue to enter the vault first.

A brightly lit metal room lay on the other side of the door. Rogue entered the room wearily, eyeing the shelves lining the walls. Shelves that held many a priceless or "lost" object. Rogue did her best not to gawk at the Faberge Egg, or the golden sarcophagus in the corner or the portrait of Starry Nights.

Rogue's gaze shifted toward a golden chalice that was decorated with fine jewels. "Is that what Ah think it is?" she asked breathlessly.

"Depends on what'ca t'ink it is." Remy replied smugly.

"Uhuh." Rogue replied distractedly.

As Rogue spoke, Remy wandered away from her and found the item he was looking for. With his back to her, he held it gingerly and stared at it. The collar looked very much like the prototype he assumed it was. The metal was dull, some spots were missing panels that revealed numerous entwined wires and circuit board looking items.

He turned around and Rogue looked at him, then to his hands.

"The hell is that?" she asked.

Remy blinked, "You don' know?"

Rogue shook her head, "Sugah, apparently it would literally be anything." her gaze drifted back to the chalice pointedly.

"Yo' tellin' me yo' found out dat I stole somet'ing from de X-men but don' know what it is?" he couldn't believe it.

Rogue shrugged, "They ain't completely incompetent, otherwise none o' them would still be alive."

Remy lost himself in his thoughts. He was starting to re-calculate everything he thought he knew about Rogue. If she had not known what the item was then she couldn't possibly be there for her own sake because she didn't know the opportunity that awaited her in his hands.

Finally, Remy started to piece together the puzzle. The X-men's Forge had created the collar and Rogue had been an X-man. Rogue couldn't control her powers; the collar could inhibit them completely. Remy started to wonder if the collar had been created for her sake.

"Dis is an inhibitor collar." he explained as he pulled himself back into the real world, fighting the lump in his throat. "It negates de X-gene, renderin' mutations moot."

A strange look that Remy couldn't read crossed Rogue's face. It was a mix between utter horror and salvation. Rogue just stared at the collar as if it were the Holy Grail itself, the chalice behind her now long forgotten.

Remy offered her the collar, "Try it." his voice was quiet..

Rogue flinched back from him, a furious look in her eyes, "Why?" she demanded.

Remy held up his hands, "Gotta test it anyway, thought you'd mebbe wanna take a whirl."

With her face scrunched up with indecisiveness, Rogue slowly nodded. She took the collar from him.

Gently, Rogue slipped the collar over her head. She did so as if the wrong move would break it, or possibly her. Inspecting the collar around her neck with her hand, Rogue pressed the only button on it.

The collar hummed and shrunk to the size of her neck so that it looked like a choker. Rogue stiffened in anticipation of pain that never came. Instead, she was met with the buzzing of the collar as the machine attempted to do its job. Tugging at the collar with a finger, Rogue looked up at Remy.

"Ya gonna be my guinea pig?" she said with a nervous laugh.

Remy smiled, "Chere, we both know yo' been itchin' t'touch me since we met."

Rogue raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "Been itchin' t'tough my fist against ya face. Hard." she quipped.

"Still counts." Remy replied cheekily.

Rogue rolled her eyes and discarded her gloves. She held out her bare hand for him to take with his own.

Remy took her hand without hesitation. He did so out of confidence in the collar's authenticity and because he had a rather alarming disregard for his personal safety. So they stood there, in the middle of the vault holding hands. It was weirdly intimate for such a casual and awkward moment.

Rogue inspected their hands as if she were unable to believe what was happening before her very eyes. Remy watched her eyes.

"When was de last time yo' touched someone, Rogue? Wit'out hurtin' dem?" he whispered.

"Since before my powers kicked in? When Ah was fourteen." she was still staring at their hands.

"How old are you now?"

Rogue gave him a small, sad smile, "Twenty four."

Remy's stomach dropped. Rogue's words weren't resentful or full of self-pity; they were just plain old words. As if they'd been discussing the weather.

"Dat's a long time."

"That's tha way it goes." Rogue replied wistfully, letting her hand linger in his.

When Rogue started to pull her hand away from his, Remy encased her hand with his. He stepped closer to her and rested his free hand on her waist. It was now or never. Looking down into her eyes, he mumbled, "Imma kiss yo' now. Yo' can say no, an' I won't."

Remy waited a few beats for Rogue to make up her mind. He could tell by looking into her eyes that she wanted to say no, but just couldn't bring herself to utter the word. So without her dissent, Remy slowly leant his head down to meet hers.

The first time he met her lips, he did so chastely, still giving her the opportunity to pull back, to say no. But it never came. Remy paused briefly before lifting his hand from hers to cup her face.

He went in for another kiss. This one was a real kiss.

It was a desperate kiss. Remy wasn't sure who was more desperate, himself and his hunger for what he couldn't have or her appetite for human contact. Instead of dwelling on the thought he held her tighter and she responded by knotting her free hand in his hair.

Remy moaned softly as her hot breath reached his lips. He responded by gently grazing her lips with his teeth. Her breath hitched as their lips continued to engulf each other.

Rogue wasn't sure what came over her. She'd gotten lost in the moment and let this progress too far too fast. Her time there was just a means to an end. It all meant nothing, but yet she couldn't pull herself away from him. In that moment, she didn't care that he was engaged, or that he wasn't a good man or even that she was engaging a passionate Judas kiss.

It didn't matter. At the end of the day they were both lying; lying to themselves, to each other, to the world around them. Each was a liar and a thief, they were the same, yet they couldn't be more different.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were breathing heavily. "Come wit' me." Remy whispered, his forehead resting against hers.

Rogue tore away from him, "What? Where?"

Remy shrugged, a goofy smile on his face, "Anywhere, everywhere. Where ever yo' wanna go."

"Ya're running." she realized. Her eyes narrowed, "That's why we're down here in tha middle o' tha night?! No one else knows..."

Remy smiled guiltily, "Busted." He reached up to stroke Rogue's face but she slapped his hand away.

"Why bring me here? Was ya plan ta proposition me with tha collar?" she asked, her words laced with anger and accusation.

"Non." Remy said quickly as things started to spiral out of his control. "Dat wasn't m'play. 'Tis jus' an offer, Chere. Yo' don't gotta come wit' me.

Rogue shook her head vigorously as she pressed the button on the collar and it released its hold on her neck, "Ya're ah-lotta things... but Ah gotta admit Ah didn't see this comin'." she said as she removed her collar from her neck.

Remy's eyes sparkled, "I'm cuttin' m'losses. I won't spend de rest o' m'life tethered t'de monster dat Belle has become." he shrugged. "Take de collar. If yo' smart, you'll run too."

Rogue took another step back. Remy did his best not to waver under the look of disgust she was giving him. "You'll neveh be able ta come back. Ya'll be ah fugitive from ya own family."

Remy scoffed, folding his arms. He was beginning to get really tired of high horse Rogue was riding. "Gotta lotta room t'talk, eh Chere?"

Wincing Rogue replied, "Exactly, Ah know what Ah'm talkin' 'bout." she held the collar in her fist and sighed. "Ya need ta sort out ya issues here, Swamprat. Otherwise they won't ever go away."

Without another word, Rogue snapped the collar in half over her knee. Remy was petrified with shock, his mouth frozen with a question on his lips. With the two pieces of the collar in her hands, Rogue looked at him.

"Ah'm sorry." she said flatly before grabbing his face roughly with her bare hand.

It barely registered that Rogue had betrayed him before everything went black.

* * *

 **A/N: For those interested, in my original outline for this story, this chapter had Rogue and Remy... _ahem_ , y'know. However, given Rogue's disdain for Remy I just couldn't justify her allowing that to happen. I could, however, chalk her up to losing herself in the moment long enough to kiss him. But then I ripped that possibility of them running away together into the sunset away.**

 **NEXT WEEK: Rogue gets the hell outta Dodge. (This is not the Rogue POV chapter that explains everything.)**


	10. Gone

10\. GONE

Rogue's eyes were squeezed shut.  
With the thump-thump-thumping of her heart in her ears, Rogue took a deep breath in attempt to ground herself. When she re-opened her eyes, she was standing over Remy's unconscious slump of a body. Initially she had tried to break his fall, but he had collapsed backwards opposed to forward, like she assumed he would.

Remy's psyche was screaming obscenities in her mind, making it difficult for her to focus. Using Remy's power, Rogue charged the remaining pieces of the collar and tossed them in the air. The collar exploded into dust and ash and for the first time in nearly a month, Rogue let out a relieved sigh.

Her mission was complete.

She gently closed her eyes as she began to reign in Remy's psyche. It was only then that she realized he wasn't screaming obscenities at her, but rather disgruntledly urging her to run. She suddenly knew that it was only a matter of time until Jean-Luc was alerted to their trespassing.

Pursing her lips, Rogue decided her next move. She reached down and felt through Remy's ever present trench coat for the pocket she now knew held a deck of playing cards and another pocket where she remembered she- he had left a pen he'd swiped from a bank teller, because reasons.

Rogue scribbled a message on the face of the card for Remy to find when he woke. With some guilt swelling in her chest, Rogue crumbled up the card and stuffed it into Remy's hand, forcefully balling his fist around it.

The card read, "Tell them I forced you down here, then escaped. Face your fears; running will only cause more problems. Trust me. R"

She glanced at the rest of the deck in her hand, she decided to slip it into her pocket. She had the sneaking suspicion she may need it before dawn broke.

Now it was time to exact her exit strategy: she needed to get back to her room in the Quarter and collect her things. First, however, she needed to get out of the LeBeau Mansion, preferably with no contest from any of the residents.

However, having Remy in her head gave her a huge advantage that she had not had before. She was now equipped with the knowledge of the ins and outs of the mansion, everything from loose window panes to the underground tunnels she currently stood in.

Smirking, Rogue mentally thanked Remy for making her life easier in that moment. It was time to compartmentalize. Rogue shoved down the guilt that was itching her conscience and started to make her escape.

Back tracking out of the vault and up through the tunnel, Rogue made specific turns that she knew would lead her away from the LeBeau property and towards the city. Any obstacle that barred her access, she was able to quickly and easily dismantle using Remy's powers. Apparently the Guild had failed to Remy-proof their defenses. Either they never expected his powers to be used against them, or they never accounted for the probability of a mutant attack- or in her case, escape.

After navigating her way through the tunnels, and a few cobwebs, Rogue ended up under a manhole in the eastern most part of the Quarter. As she climbed the ladder into the street, she tried not to lament her shoes and the muck they were covered in.

Rogue heaved herself out of the hole and onto the street amidst the last round of party goers, no one even spared her a second glance. Not to her strange new eyes, or the ankle high coating of "mud" on her jeans. Aware she had a bit of a trek ahead of her back to her room, Rogue started walking, eyes on the ground to avoid calling any attention to herself.

A little walking would do her some good, she decided... the idea of hot wiring a car lingered in her mind, but she was sure that was more Remy's idea than her own. She shook her head, she had done enough bad things in the past month, there was no need to add grand theft to the list too.

She spotted a pair of star-shapped sunglasses laying on the sidewalk, and quickly grabbed them and slipped them onto her face so that she could hold her head up and feel inconspicuous.

It took about half an hour, but Rogue managed to walk all the way to her motel with a fair amount of effort as she repeatedly doubled back and glanced over her shoulder to ensure she wasn't followed. She ran up the outside staircase of the crappy motel she had been used as a base, she entered her room hastily, slamming the door behind her.

The first thing she did in the cloak of darkness in her room was discard her gloves in disgust, tossing them on the ground. Next, she removed the bandana from her head so that her white streaks were finally free.

"O' all de t'ings I suspected was under dat god awful bandana, gray hair wasn't one o' dem."

Rogue froze and her breath caught as she tried to place the familiar voice. She turned around, doing her best to keep her fear from showing in her face or in her body language as the lamp switched on.

Belladonna was sitting comfortably in the worn chair, her legs crossed and a sinister smile on her lips.

"They're white." Rogue said indignantly.

"Oui, sure, whatever yo' wanna call it." Belle replied casually, inspecting her manicured fingernails.

Rogue's blood ran cold as she started to consider why the blonde bombshell would possibly be doing in her room, in the dark waiting. Remy was screaming for her to run.

"How'd ya find me?" Rogue asked stiffly.

Belle snorted and shrugged, "I have m'ways, cherie."

Rogue stood up straighter and squared her shoulders, "What are ya doin' here? Come ta make good on ya threat?" Rogue said, eying Belle cautiously.

"Oui, I want yo' gone." Belle said, standing from the chair with grace. She way, was about to start closing the distance between them, when Rogue took off the sunglasses. Belle stopped dead. "How do yo' got his eyes?" she whispered.

Rogue shrugged, "Ah told him not ta trust me. Now get outta my way, ya wish is comin' true. Ah'm leavin'."

Belle tisked her tongue, "see de kinda gone I was referin' t' don' involve yo' catchin' a bus outta town." she said with a laugh as she cracked her knuckles.

Rogue rolled her eyes; everyone in this town was so damn dramatic. Pulling out the deck of cards she'd stolen from Remy, Rogue took a single card between her index and middle fingers so that she was sure Belle could see it glow with Remy's signature magenta. "It'd be ah shame if ya face was all mangled fo' ya weddin' pictures."

Belle scoffed, "Yo' t'ink I'm afraid o' a few scratches."

Rogue lowered the card and shook her head, "No, Ah don't. Ya know what Ah do think ya're ah-fraid of? Bein' alone. Ah think ya're ah-fraid ta let go. At think ya're ah valiant and fearless soldier but ah scared lil' girl when it comes ta ya actual life."

Belle's eyes widened and her nostrils flailed, "How dare you." she seethed.

Holding out her arms, Rogue opened herself to an attack from Belle, "Tell me Ah'm wrong." with her right hand she tapped her temple, "Ah got Remy in m'head, tellin' me all there is ta know 'bout'cha. Ah know everything, Belle. Ah know ya pretend ta favor ya right side ta confuse enemies when ya suddenly come at 'em harder from the left. 'Cause ya're left handed. Ah know you ain't always been like this, ya used ta laugh, ta dream, ta hope. An' Ah know this," She motioned to the two of them, "is ah fight ya won't win... So walk away Belle. If we don't fight there can't be ah loser."

"Yo' challenge m'honor?" Belle growled.

Rogue did her best not to scoff or roll her eyes, least she incite Belle. What would an assassin for hire know about honor?

"No." Rogue settled for exasperation. "Ah'm challengin' ya courage. Ya courage ta be tha bigger woman right here an' now. Ah challange ya courage ta stand up fo' what'ca really want in regards ta what'ca Guild wants."

Belle's lips curled as she considered Rogue's words, she didn't like them, but she knew they were spoken with candor. With a sharp sigh, Belle said in resignation, "Ya've got twelve hours. If yo' still here then I'll consider yo' presence in m'city as a act of defiance an' will deal wit' it accordingly."

Rogue smiled, she wanted to ask Belle what the hell that meant, but thought better of it. Belle, having said her peace, brushed past Rogue on her way to leave.

"Belle." Rogue called after her, not turning around so that her back still faced Belle, "Besides tha whole murderin' people for money thing, ya're ah strong woman worthy o' admiration. Don't let anyone snuff ya out. Not Remy. Not Julien. Not even Marius. Take charge."

Belle missed a few beats before replying darkly, "You wouldn't understand. A traitor t' every team she's ever been a part o' would never be able to understand duty." Belle huffed out a laugh, "The most ironic t'ing though? He loved yo', I could see it in his eyes. And yo' betrayed him." Her last addition was a sad after thought, "But come tomorrow, I'll still be de villain."

With that said, Belle exited the room. Rogue, facing the dim glow of the lamp next to the corner chair, closed her eyes in relief, and rubbed a stray hand down her face. She had no time to process what Belle had said to her. She didn't want to.

That was the last time Rogue ever saw Belladonna.

When Rogue was sure she was alone, she darted to the air vent that she'd stashed her burner phone in during her stay with the LeBeau clan. She flipped the phone open and pressed the first speed dial.

One ring, two rings.

"Hello?" said the voice on the other line.

"Tha Gumbo's cooked." Rogue reported, "tha package is destroyed. Mission was ah success an' Ah'm comin' out hot. Need ah lift outta here, pronto."

"Meet at the extraction point in one hour."

The line went dead and Rogue charged the phone using Remy's power. After doing so, Rogue felt a but strained. She realized that Remy's powers were beginning to wane. She opened the door to the outside and tossed the phone out into the air, where it blew up with a loud BANG.

Rogue pulled her Go-ba out from under the bed, she grabbed a clean pair of jeans from the bag and shed the baggy LSU tee-shirt in favor of a plain black V-neck. Once she was freshly changed, she stuffed her old clothes into the backpack and shouldered it.  
It was time to leave.

As Rogue walked away from the motel she didn't even bother looking back.

It was time for her to go home.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm super pumped you guys were surprised by the ending of the last chapter. I thought everyone was going to see that coming.  
** **As for this chapter, I wanted Rogue and Belle to have a faceoff per say** **when Remy wasn't around and because I really tried to cut the fat off this story and include as little filler as possible, this was the only place I felt that it fit for the two to have their exchange. Plus their convo weighs into an instrumental part of the next chapter.**

 **NEXT WEEK: Remy gets married!**


	11. She Don't Love You

11\. SHE DON'T LOVE YOU

Four excruciating long days later, the Thieves Guild -mostly Remy- were still reeling from the fallout of Rogue's betrayal. After awaking from his stupor, Remy had found the card balled up in his fist. He'd read it a million times before he heard a commotion outside the vault and slipped the card into one of his pockets.

Despite the fact that he missed Rogue, Remy was absolutely furious. The only person more livid than him was Jean Luc. His father blamed the entire incident on Remy's "soft spot of a pretty face", as if Jean Luc hadn't attempted to recruit Rogue himself. When Fence had showed up that same evening to transport the collar he was less than thrilled to find his supplier empty handed.

Then there was the client, who was even less enthused when word reached him.

With Congressman Kelly giving the Guild unwanted heat for their shortcoming, Jean-Luc was painted in a corner. It would take an innumerable amount of pay offs and bribes to either earn back Kelly's good graces or turn other politicians against him in favor of the Guild. No matter which way it was spun, the Guild was about to be out a chunk of money.  
Thieves don't like to share their spoils.

So, there they were four days later. Remy stood stiffly at the foot of a carpeted alter donned in a freshly pressed tuxedo. Henri stood beside him as his best man, also wearing a suit and an arrogant smirk that had been present since he helped Remy to his feet in the vault. Remy would have been irritated by the ever-present gloat on Henri's face, however he knew if the roles were reversed he would have been a million times more obnoxious about it.

Glancing back a little further, Remy could see Julien standing beside Emil in his place as the final groomsman. Originally he had detested Julien's presence in the wedding party, it was bad enough he was going through with the whole debacle, but he also had to stand next to a man who had made it no secret that he wanted Remy's head on a sliver platter. But since Julien was Belle's kin, Remy was told to shut up. _Typical_.

The organ began to play the familiar tempo of _Here Comes the Bride_ and the pews full of people stood as Belle and her grandfather entered the church hall. The fact that they were even having this wedding in a _Catholic Church_ had Remy reeling. Between the Bride and Groom alone, they'd broken every single commandment on the tablet, and then some. Yet there he was, about to swear his non-existent love in the eyes of a God he defied on a daily basis. If nothing else, the irony of the situation amused Remy.

Remy was unable to see Belle's face was she slowly walked up the aisle due to the veil over her head. Ah yes, the white veil, the symbol of innocence and purity. Really, the hypocrisy of the whole even was enough to drive Remy into a fit of humorless laughter.

Belle and Marius continued down the aisle in beat with the song. It felt like an eternity to Remy. He passed the time by looking around; he glanced at his father, who stood in the very first pew on the Groom's side. Jean Luc sent him a stern nod. While he was still unhappy with Remy, he recognized that Remy was doing the right thing for the fate of the Guild.

Remy tore his gaze from Jean Luc. Remy couldn't look at him for too long because he was sure his eyes would begin to glow a dangerous red. Jean Luc wasn't the only person unhappy in their father-son relationship.

With every step that Belle took, Remy found himself wishing more and more that Rogue hadn't given him an out with his family. He wished she'd taken him with her, or at the very least, let him escape to his own devices. Instead she'd left him metaphorically naked and with literally only one play.

 _Rogue_. Remy wondered what she was doing right then... His thoughts drifted back to when he woken up in the vault, sans Rogue. He had personally led the man hunt for her. It was a wonder that he'd come up empty handed, the Guild had every two bit criminal in Louisiana on the look out for her. It hadn't been until twelve hours into their search that they received a tip on where Rogue had been staying. The intel led them to an abandoned motel room, the only proof Rogue had been there was the green headband laying haphazardly on the floor. She was gone.

Remy smiled at the thought of her. Sure, he was furious at her and about how it all went down, but it wasn't everyday that a man like him met his match. He was going to find her again one day, if for nothing else than for answers. Reading people was supposed to be his thing, yet her true intentions and motives had slipped under his radar. Remy didn't like not knowing what was going on. He didn't like that he had been the mark in a con he should have seen a mile away... those stupid distracting green eyes. She could have told him she hung the moon and he would have believed her.

Meanwhile, in reality, dread welled up inside Remy's stomach when Belle and Marius reached the end of the isle. Marius gave Remy a faux hundred watt smile as he gave Remy Belle's hand. Remy took it as Marius made his leave. Remy escorted Belle up the three steps to the alter and stopped so that they faced each other.

Remy could hardly see Belle's face through the mesh of veil, but that didn't stop him from attempting to find her eyes so she could see the dead look in his.

"Welcome, brothers and sisters!" said Father Benedict, "Welcome as we celebrate his wonderful day as we bond these two beautiful souls together in holy matrimony. But first, let us pray."

Belle and Remy bowed their heads with the rest of the procession as Father Benedict let the congregation in the Our Father.

"Amen," Father Benedict finished and then looked up and out to the pews. "Brothers and Sisters, there is nothing I am more passionate about than the seven sacraments! I could drone on and on about the wonders that is matrimony, about the great adventure that these two wonderful people are about to embark upon, but I shall restrain myself."

Remy, on the other-hand, restrained himself from rolling his eyes. Father Benedict couldn't have been fuller of shit if he were constipated. Benedict was well aware of the ongoing in New Orleans and the blessed Father knew who Remy and Belle were and what they represented. Remy also knew that Jean Luc and Marius had slipped the balding priest a thick envelop to allow the wedding to occur in his church.

Everyone could be bought, even a man of the cloth.

"Let us begin the ceremony with the declaration of intent." Father Benedict turned to Remy and said, "Do you, Remy LeBeau, take this woman to be your loftily wedded wife?"

Remy wanted to say no. Every fiber in his being screamed for him to say no. Everyone around him could see that, it was practically secreting from him. In this split second, Remy had a choice.

"I do." the words stung in his throat.

Father Benedict turned to Belle, "Do you, Belladonna Bourdreaux, take this man to be your loftily wedded husband?"

Belle hesitated. Her silence lasted even longer than Remy's. It was only about five seconds time wise, but to everyone in attendance, it felt like hours. Father Benedict repeated his question anxiously. When Belle still failed to answer him, Remy began to glance around. Surely the Assassins were messing with him.

Belle flipped the veil back so that her face was finally revealed. Had it been years earlier, Remy would have been breathless at the sight of her. Belle bit her lip and her brow furrowed together.

Taking a deep breath she said, "No. No I do not." she shook her head. A gasp ran through the attendees. She faced her grandfather, "I will not marry a man dat don't love me. I will not be forced int' a marriage simply 'cause it's de convenient way t'not have t'work out issues in a modern an' civilized manner. I will not marry a man dat _I_ don't love. I've done a lotta t'ings fo' m'family, a lotta terrbile t'ings, but dis... dis I will not do."

Remy did his best to swallow his smirk when he caught sight of the reprehensible looks on Jean Luc and Marius' faces. There wasn't a dollar amount in the world anyone could offer him to have not witnessed it.

Apparently, a thief in the midst of passive aggressive revenge was the only man who couldn't be bought.

"Belle," Remy said once he'd composed himself.

Belle held up her hand, "Non, Remy. Don't say nothin'. I'm jus' doin' what both o' us have wanted all along. I loved yo' once, an' yo' loved me once. But dose days have long past. I am loyal t' m'Guild, but I have t'be able t'live wit' m'self. I wouldn't be able t'do dat if I was trapped in a sham o' a marriage wit' yo'. I thought... mebbe we'd be able to revert t'how we used t'be, but I know dat ain' possible. I'm sorry I waited dis long t'say somet'ing, an' I'm sorry dat yo' an' me have ended up resentin' each other. I'm sorry, Remy, Pepe, but I ain't sorry at all."

Remy ran a nervous hand through his hair, "Where all dis comin' from?" He was terrified she would take her words back.

"Someone pointed t'ings out t'me dat I'd been tryin' t'deny fo' a long time." She replied softly.

Remy inhaled softly like it was the first time in a long time he could really breath, "Never t'ought I'd see a bride object t' her own weddin'." he mused.

Giving him a small smile, Belle said, "Well, yo' never did like ordinary Femmes, didja LeBeau?"

Remy returned her smile, "Non. I don't."

With that, Belle ripped the veil from her hair without even flinching and threw it to the ground. Making sharp eye contact with her grandfather, Belle gathered up the train of her dress and began her assent back down the aisle. A small part of Remy hoped that the organist would play _Here Comes the Bride_ backwards.

The second that Belle exited the church doors in true runaway bride fashion, Remy was tackled to the ground from behind. Remy was caught so off guard that he didn't have enough time to attempt to break his fall.

With his face shoved to the ground, Remy did his best to squirm away from the unseen attack. Suddenly the weight was lifted off him and Remy quickly rolled over on his back to get a look at what was going on. He saw a furious Julien being held back by an irritated Henri, but Henri was too large of a man with training that equaled the Assassin heir's. Julien was stuck.

Remy scrambled to his feet and gave Julien a reprehensible look, "An' what de hell was dat?" he hissed.

"Yo've embarrassed m'sister, m'family an' m'Guild!" Julien snarled, incidentally spitting in Remy's face.

Remy blanched, "She jus' left _ME_ at de alter." he reminded him.

"Yo' drove her t'dis! Cheatin' an' mistreatin' her!" Julien growled. "In de name o' de Xternals, I challenge yo' Remy LeBeau t'jeu de la mort! I challange yo' on yo're honor as a LeBeau!"

Remy's jaw clenched as Henri's eyes widened. That was a duel. A challenge Remy could not deny, he was bound by Guild Law.

"NON!" Jean Luc objected, standing up and slamming his hand off the banister in front of his pew, "Yo' got no right t'challenge Remy. He ain' wronged you!"

Marius placed a hand on Jean Luc's shoulder, "Don't matter, LeBeau. De challenge had been issued in de name o' de Xternal. If Remy objects, he forfeits. Derefore, he dies."

"I know de rules." Jean Luc snarled, shrugging off Marius' hand. "Yo' boy is outta line! Yo petite-fille jus' spit in de face o' m'Guild, yo' family ain' got no right t'question our honor!"

As Jean Luc continued to throw a fit, Remy weighed his options. Either Julien killed him or he killed Julien then suffered the wrath of the Assassins Guild. Or he was executed by default. Anyway he spun it, Remy doubted he'd live to see the morrow, so why not take Julien with him?

"I accept." Remy's words shut Jean Luc up. Henri's face fell as he let go of Julien. As Julien brushed himself off, a heinous smirk crossed his lips. He stopped short of Remy and with happiest tone he'd ever regarded Remy with he said "Name yo' venue?"

"De cellar. Dusk." Remy replied stiffly, his breath becoming labored once more.

* * *

Remy sat at the bar with a whiskey in hand. Peirce was behind the bar, wiping the surface down with a damp cloth. Remy didn't pay him any mind as he continued to stare into his drink, rolling the glass against the counter. Remy was dressed for a fight, he wore his standard armor and his trench coat.

He didn't bother to carry cards with him, as he knew that his powers would be outlawed. The rules for a jeu de la mort were very strict. He had been given the choice of one weapon. He knew Julien would have a sword, if not two, so Remy had brought along a sharp weapon most like what he was used to fighting with. A two pronged spear leant on the bar beside him as Remy waited for the rest of the mob to show.

Pierce eyed him warily as he poured him another drink, "Y'think it wise t'fight half drunk?" anxiety colored his words.

Remy shrugged, "Prolly not. Y'right, half drunk is unacceptable, get me somet'ing stronger."

Pierce snatched the glass from Remy's grasp. "Non, I will not help yo' commit suicide." Pierce poured the glass out in the sink and left it there. "Get yo' shit t'gether LeBeau."

Remy regarded Pierce in amusement, "Didn't realize yo' gave a damn 'bout me."

"Well, yo' do sign m'paychecks. Technically." Pierce chuckled.

"Oui," Remy nodded. "Why yo' still here anyway? Yo' really wanna be around when de Assassins come out t'play?"

Pierce scoffed, "What, jus' 'cause I'm outta de game means I don' know how t'hold m'own? Been dealin' wit' dose pesky Assassin's since 'fore yo' were born boy."

"Oui, I know." Remy waved a dismissive hand, "Tell moi again, what was it like t'fight Assassins while ridin' yo' velociraptor 'gain?" Remy quipped.

Pierce glared at him, "On second t'ought, lemme pour yo' another drink."

Remy was about to reply when the doors to the bar flew open and a crowd of Assassins, lead by Julien, flocked into the bar.

"Good luck, fere." Pierce said seriously, offering out his hand. Remy smiled and took it. "Don't worry, if by chance he does yo' in, I'll finish 'em off." Pierce added with a wink.

"T'anks." Remy said dryly.

"OOHH LEBEAU!" Julien cried gleefully as he swept around the large room.

Remy turned around to face Julien in irritation. The first thing he noticed was the two katana blades at either side of his hips. Julien was flanked by Fifolet and Gris Gris. By the door, Marius stood with an upset looking Belladonna and various other members of his Guild.

"Where is yo' Pere?" Marius demanded, peering around suspiciously.

"Behind yo'." Jean Luc snapped from behind Marius. "Now get outta de way so I can get inside. It's rainin' fo' christ sakes."

Marius removed himself from the doorway more out of surprise than compliance. Jean Luc stalked past him with Henri and Mercy close by. The line of thieves didn't end there, Etienne, Emil, Theo, Marcel and other higher ranking members made their way into the bar.

Grabbing his spear, Remy made his way over to the middle of bar where the majority of both Guilds had congregated. He stood next to his father, his eyes fixed downward. Julien stood in a similar position next to Marius.

"De rules are simple. No out assistance is allowed. All parties involved are not allowed to manipulate de outcome o' de duel." Jean Luc recited wearily.

"Oui..." Marius seconded, "However dere are extenuating circumstances, no mutant ability allowed." he added callously.

"Accepted." Remy yawned.

"Dis duel only send when un o' yo' is dead." Marius continued, "Remy, Julien, please make yo' way t'de arena."

Julien and Remy slowly walked toward the iron fence that was used to fight nights at the club. Once they were inside the hellish cage, Jean Luc shut the door and locked it.

Taking a deep breath, Marius said his final peace, "De loser o' de battle forfeits his soul t'de possession o' de great an' powerful Xternal. Be warned an' may God have mercy on yo' souls."

That was the end of the formal talking. The two Guilds surrounded the fence in preparation to watch the battle that had been building up for the better part of two and a half decades. Julien unsheathed his katanas and scraped them together threateningly. Not to be outdone, Remy twisted the bo staff esque spear around his body in an impressive show. When he was finished he caught the staff expertly in his hand.

"Looks like one o' us is 'bout t'get what we've always wanted." Remy said wistfully.

"Oui, luckily I still got m'tux t'wear durin' yo' funeral." Julien spat.

Remy scoffed, "Un," he held up his middle finger, "Yo' ain' invited to m'funeral. Duex," he held up his index finger, "Yo' suck at banter.

With that, the sad excuse for banter was over. Julien lunged toward him, brandishing his katanas as he went. Remy dodged the blows easily, and fluidly moved behind Julien. Remy swung his spear and swept Julien's feet out from under him. Julien fell to his ass as Remy smirked and backed up to let him back to his feet.

Julien was furious at Remy's "childish" move. Julien hopped back to his feet and came at Remy again with a hellish growl escaping from his throat.

Remy caught Julien's next attacking blow with his spear. Leveraging his strength, Remy pushed the blades back away from him. Julien spun around to keep his balance and kept his swords out wide to get a swipe at Remy. His katana cut into Remy's chest plate, but caused his body no damage.

Reeling back, Remy started to calculate his next move. Julien knew his playbook. He was going to have to infuriate his not-brother-in-law so that he would lose his focus and become sloppy. Luckily, this was not a difficult task for Remy.

Running at Julien, Remy waited until the last possible second to slam his spear down into the ground and using it to pole vault himself over Julien. Once behind Julien, Remy used the spear head to slash a nice cut along Julien's backside. Julien yelped and quickly turned to face Remy. His ears were beginning to turn a dark red and Remy knew that his plan was working.

Julien, in his rage, swung with great force and little control. Remy had an easier time deflecting every blow that came his way. Now he just had to wait for Julien to make an error, a real error.

Soon enough, that time came. Julien swung with too much force and Remy met his down coming strike with an up going blow from the middle of his staff. His staff hit Julien's wrist and loosened his grip on the sword so that it fell to the ground. Remy wasted no time in kicking it away. With Julien down to one sword, Remy could breathe a little easier.

Remy twirled the spear around his body to distract Julien then went in for the strike. Julien dodged Remy's spear, but missed the swift the kick to the gut that Remy delivered shortly after. Julien fell to the ground and Remy held his spear to the assassin's throat. Julien didn't even look phased in the face of death. His eyes shone as he mutely dared Remy to do it. Remy pushed the jagged end into Julien's throat, drawing blood.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill Julien in cold blood as he lay defenseless on the floor.

"Bang yo' dead." Remy muttered as he removed the spear from Julien's neck and started to walk away. There was a unanimous hiss from the crowd of thieves as they screamed he couldn't do that. Remy didn't hear any of it though. The only person he heard was Henri, who grabbed the chainmesh, shook it and shouted,

"REMY LOOK OUT!"

Remy turned on his heel, spear out at the ready. As he did so, he thrust out the spear in hopes of meeting any sucker attack Julien tried to pull while his back was turned. What Remy managed to do, was win. As he thrust out the spear, he caught Julien completely off guard and impaled him through the chest.

Distantly, Remy heard Belladonna shriek as he stared wide eyed at Julien. Remy let go of the spear like it burned and Julien fell backward to the ground, choking on his own blood. Remy ran a disbelieving hand through his hair. Remy stood there, his heart in his throat, his legs frozen beneath him.

Remy felt someone grab him and pull him out of the caged arena. He just kept staring at Julien. He watched Belle fight through the crowd, screaming incoherently as she fell over her brother, crying. Remy was pulled again, his legs complying with the force's wishes. He heard a distant screaming match.

Marius screaming about interference.

Jean-Luc rebutting with Julien's sneak attack.

Marius demanding Remy's head as collateral for Henri's intrusion.

Remy heard no more as he was pulled into the back room where he used to play poker. Pierce grabbed Remy's face, forcing Remy to see him.

"Boy, look at me!" Peirce shouted in desperation. When Remy was still non compliant, Pierce slapped him.

Remy shook his head and glared at Pierce. "What de fuck?" he snapped.

"Listen," Pierce said urgently, "Marius is gonna be out fo' yo' blood. Henri warned yo', Henri broke de rules an' it caused Julien's death. Jean-Luc will give it to him. Yo' hear me. Yo' burned, yo' ain' useful t'him no more. Y'gotta run Remy. Y'gotta run an' never come back."

"But-"

"But Nothing!" Pierce roared. "Jean-Luc will hand yo' over 'cause yo'll suit him better dead den alive. Go, hotwire a vehicle and drive till its outta gas, den steal a new car an' run it dry too."

Remy nodded slowly as Pierce lead him out the back door into the alley way. Giving him a shove out the door. Remy took to the darkness, pulling up the collar of his trench coat. Before he disappeared into the darkness, he turned and said to Pierce,

"Merci, fere."

* * *

 **A/N: (A Lengthy/Insightful Note Ahead): I tried to put a bit of a spin of the infamous Wedding fiasco that any Gambit fan knows all-too-well. That said, here we see the Belladonna character growth I eluded to in a previous note. Somehow, throughout writing this story I became a bit of a Belladonna advocate (I wouldn't go as far to say fan). I used to _hate_ her, probably because I became a Romy fan when I was a preteen and she was often a obstacle for them in so many stories I read. As I got older, I realized there are plenty of reasons to hate Belladonna (she's kind of a shit person) but being involved with Remy before Rogue is _not_ one of them.**

 **Moreover, the song this chapter is named after I think beautifully represents the mindset I had when planning out Belladonna's actions/character in this particular story (give it a listen with this in mind). She doesn't love Remy (anymore), she's lonely, she's scared, she's holding onto more than just Remy, she's holding onto the version of herself that she was when she was with him (young and innocent). She's grown up in a rough environment, taught to kill for money, taught to dehumanize her victims, to strip away her own humanity to get the job done. And she wasn't like that once upon a time, but she can't continue to lie (mostly to herself). AND that is why _she_ calls off the wedding. Also because an accidental theme of this story is Remy making poor decisions.  
**

 **NEXT WEEK:** **The Penultimate Chapter: Rogue's rationale revealed.  
**


	12. Looking Back Now

12\. LOOKING BACK NOW

 **SIX WEEKS EARLIER**

Rogue was weary when she was called into the Office like business as usual. She sunk down in the chair adjacent to the desk and looked casually at the man behind it, biting her lip to suppress a yawn. Crossing her arms, Rogue spoke with exhaustion tinting her voice, "Is there ah reason why Ah was called inta ya office this early in the morin', Professor?"

Professor Xavier folded his hands on his desk and gave Rogue a small smile. "Good morning to you too, Rogue." he said in amusement.

"Sorry Professor, but Ah was up all night with tha rest o' tha gang tryin' ta track down tha burglar." Rogue replied dryly.

Xavier nodded, "Yes, we all have had a long night... But I think I have uncovered the identity of our late night guest with the help of Cerebro."

Rogue blanched at him, "Ya mean ya had us search tha city in hopes o' findin' ah clue an' all ya had ta do was work ya telepathic magic?"

"It was a lucky break, to be honest." Xavier shrugged, "I believe it was a man by the name of Remy LeBeau." Xavier handed her a file across the desk. "I've actually had my eye on him for a while, now. He's a mutant member of the Thieves Guild based out of Louisiana."

Rogue made a face, "Thieves Guild? That's jus' an old wives tale." she chuckled.

Xavier gave her a deadpan look, "Yes, and so are old bald men who can read minds and great blue furred men with doctoral degrees."

Rogue considered his statement, "Point taken." she waved a hand, "Proceed."

"The Guild will prove to be a formidable foe. I fear that even if we were to go in and corner them, we would still be unable to locate the collar." Xavier sighed.

Rogue frowned, "How do we know it ain' already gone?"

The Professor took a deep breath, "I'd bet every dollar I have Congressman Kelley is behind this... the rest we'll just have to gamble. But we're going to need someone on the inside."

Narrowing her eyes, Rogue said, "An' Ah would be tha best person for that?"

Xavier nodded, "I believe with your background and a scrub down on your file from Forge, you have the most believable back story."

"Ya mean my time with the Brotherhood." Rogue flinched slightly.

"Yes." the Professor replied solemnly.

Rogue sighed and composed herself. "So what's my play?" she leant forward curiously.

The Professor smiled, "First you infiltrate the local places, that way you don't just suspiciously appear. Lay low, but make sure he notices you. Then you reveal you're a mercenary for hire with a vendetta for a common foe. The X-men." Rogue raised her eyebrows doubtfully, but the Professor held up his hand, telling her to wait, "In this scenario you will still have no control over your powers. But don't advertise it, let him come to the conclusion himself." the Professor instructed.

Rogue slowly nodded, "Ta recap, glove on, X-men enemies, play hard ta get an' earn enough trust in ah compacted amount o' time in hopes that they still got the collar?"

"Yes. Do not fret, a few threats from the X-men will scare the Guild into letting you in. They'll be desperate and you'll just have to wait for the most opportune time to strike and get the collar."

Rogue scoffed, "What makes ya think they'll jus' accept me?"

"Mr. LeBeau will be unable to resist you. Resenting the people you once called family, unable to control your powers, conflicted feelings about right and wrong. You're an enigma he won't be able to walk away from." The Professor told her.

Rogue nodded, sighing. "Ah understand. What do Ah do with the collar if Ah find it?"

Xavier shrugged, "Destroy it. Mr. LeBeau only got away with the prototype. Forge has a new model. We have no need of the collar. We just cannot allow it to fall into the wrong hands."

Rogue sat back in the chair once more, she could practically feel the dark circles under her eyes expanding. "When do Ah leave?"

"Tomorrow."

* * *

 **THREE & A HALF WEEKS EARLIER**

Rogue was walking through the Quarter with a Thieves Guild tail on her ass. The kid wasn't bad, it had taken Rogue about 15 minutes to spot him, which was 13 minutes longer than it usually took her. If he was on her ass that meant that Remy had finally looked into her and was curious or suspicious.

With the heat now on, Rogue scrambled to think of a way to draw attention away from where her loyalties lied. That was when the idea came to her. She pulled out her phone and dialed Carol's contact. With a sense of urgency she hadn't realized she was harboring, Rogue texted the letters SOS to her Avenger compatriot. After a quick trip to Google, Rogue also added her latitude and longitude.

After that, Rogue had to play the waiting game. Luckily, it wasn't a long one. Rogue ducked into a restaurant to grab a bit to eat and mull over how bad of an idea this was going to be.

When she was out of the restaurant, Rogue spotted Carol flying over the skies of the Quarter, causing a stir among the civilians as they began to recognize her. When Carol touched down to the ground, the chatter became overwhelmingly loud.

Rogue snuck up from behind Carol and prayed that she would be able to decipher the subtext. Rogue knocked Carol off her balance and said, "It's ah shame we gotta keep meetin' like this." she did her best to hide her solemn tone.

"Rogue?" Carol asked in irritation as she dodged Rogue's next advance. "The hell do you think you're doing? Did the psyche's take over again?"

Rogue gave her a smug smirk, "Nope, this is all me, Sugah." it alarmed Rogue how easy it was to slip back into the role of villain.

"I don't want to hurt you." Carol said as a crowd gathered around them.

"Shame, Ah want ta hurt ya." Rogue dropped her bags and darted at Carol.

Rogue tackled Carol to the ground and held her there for the briefest of moments. Sticking her lips next to Carol's ear, Rogue whispered, "Play along. A mission depends on it. No control."

Carol wasted no time in shoving Rogue off and away from her with such force that Rogue was hurtled into a nearby wall. Groaning, Rogue peeled herself off the wall. She knew she'd live to regret this plan. Hopefully.

Rogue made her way back into the fight she'd picked. She hoped and prayed with everything she had that Carol understood her message. Her cover and her survival in fight depended on it.

"That tha best ya got? Ah've been hit harder by Widow!" that statement was not untrue. "'Sides, Ah knew ya couldn't take me in ah fair fight."

Carol's eyes narrowed, "Fair fight?! Your hands are bare. You could take me out with a touch!" Her tone was accusing, but the way her eyes widened ever so slightly, told Rogue that she was giving her an out.

Rogue was relieved that Carol had understood her message. "Think ya can handle ah fist fight, Cap?" Rogue asked as she put the gloves back on her hands.

"Better than you think you can."

They fought like they had so many times before when the X-men and the Avengers would meet to spar with different opponents. If Rogue hadn't known any better, she would have thought their fight was completely choreographed. Every punch was dodged as they both bobbed and weaved with the elegance of ballet dancers.

However, Carol finally gained the upper hand when she caught Rogue by surprise with a head-butt against her bandana, followed by two right jabs. Rogue realized that Carol was going for a left hook and was able to lean back and dodge it. Rogue fell back, but managed to take Carol with her.

From there on it was a rolling match to see who could stay on top longer. Every of often, one would maintain an upright position long enough to land a few hits. Rogue finally regained a moment on top of Carol; the Captain looked up at her and hissed, "Now!" With Carol's instruction, Rogue ripped off a glove and grabbed Carol's face.

The look of fear on Carol's face was worthy of an Oscar. That or she really expected Rogue to use her powers.

"Sorry," Rogue whispered, "Ah had ta make ah statement." She said before she stood up from Carol's faux unconscious body. Who would have guessed that Captain Marvel was able to play opossum so well.

Rogue snapped at the crowd, but she didn't even hear the words coming out of her mouth, she was too wrapped up in her own thoughts. She clapped her hands together in triumph. She hoped that would be enough of a statement to the Guild that she meant business. No Avengers. No X-men.

Just Rogue.

* * *

 **TWO WEEKS EARLIER**

Rogue sat in the living room, her heart in her throat as moments before she'd tore into Remy after he attempted to explain his motives. She took a few deep breaths as she attempted to calm herself. She really thought she had pushed him too far that time. She did it partially to rile him up and partially because he just enraged her.

Rogue heard someone enter the room and briefly prepared herself for round two with Remy. Instead she found herself looking at Mattie.

Tante Mattie was an old woman, but for her actual age, she looked pretty damn good. She seemed preoccupied in her head, but when she say Rogue sitting alone on the sofa she paused mid stride to take a seat next to her.

As Mattie sat down, Rogue quickly replaced her gloves back onto her hands. A gesture of good faith.

"Good afternoon, ma'am." Rogue said respectfully. Despite her disdain for the LeBeau family, she really did like Mattie. The short dark skinned woman was a force to be reckoned within the Guild, with a demeanor and attitude that struck fear into the hearts of the weak. Rogue respected that. Also, Mattie frightened her slightly.

Mattie scoffed at Rogue's greeting, "Ma'am? Ain' nearly old 'nough t'be a ma'am, Chere." she said in good humor. "Call me Tante Mattie, or jus' Tante if dat suits y'fancy." Mattie patted Rogue's thigh reassuringly. "Y'know, I ain' ever heard nobody talk t'Remy like dat an' live t'tell de tale."

Rogue raised an eyebrow, tisking her tongue, "Ah ain' scared o' him." she said indignantly, "An' he needs ah good ringin' out."

Mattie gave her a toothy grin, "Oui, yo' right. No one ever calls him on his bullshit. Jean Luc keeps him as happy as possible 'cause havin' Remy 'round is good fo' business."

"Ah'm happy ta provide my services." Rogue replied dryly.

Mattie waved her index finger at Rogue and said, "Yo'd be good fo' him, y'know? Assumin' yo' dialed back dat fiery pit o' resent yo' got burnin' in yo' veins. Ever t'ink mebbe it's somet'ing internal bein' directed outwards?"

Rogue made a face at her, "Ah got no idea what'ca tryin' ta say ta me."

Mattie shifted on her cushion, "Oui, I get dat a lot. Jus' never stop remindin' Remy when he's outta line. Lord knows the boy needs a reality check now an' den."

Rogue's face scrunched up a bit, "What'ca mean 'never stop'?"

Mattie gave her a mischievous lop sided smirk that looked all too familiar, "I got a sixth sense 'bout things."

Rogue shook her head and chuckled, "Sorry Sugah, but Ah think ya sixth sense is broken. As soon as this job is ovah Ah'm leavin' New Orleans fo' tha next job that comes m'way." she lied easily.

Mattie looked at her intently, as if she could see into Rogue's soul. Rogue did her best not to wither beneath the prying stare of Mattie's deep brown eyes. "I know dat fille." her voice full of condescension, "I also know dat ya intentions here ain' what'ca claim dem t'be."

Rogue's head snapped in Mattie's direction, "Ah'm sorry, Ah don't know what'ca talking ah-bout." she tried to recover, but she knew Mattie and anyone in a hundred foot radius caught the tell in her immediate reaction.

"Oui, I bet'ca don't."Mattie said slyly, giving Rogue a big smile and a placated pat on the shoulder, "Don' worry none, yo'. Dis ol' fille won' be tellin' nobody nothin' 'bout anyt'ing." With a final wink, Mattie left Rogue alone in the room once more.

Rogue sat back into the couch, pursing her lips and doing her best to comprehend what Mattie had just said to her. Did Mattie know she intended to double cross the Guild? Did Mattie know she was working with the X-men? Was Mattie just messing with her mind? Could the woman actually have a sixth sense?

After twenty agonizing minutes analyzing every scrape of their conversation, Rogue gave up. She'd realized days ago that looking for logic or reason in the words of a LeBeau was a pointless and time consuming endeavor.

* * *

 **ONE WEEK EARLIER**

Rogue stood in the entrance hall of the Thieves Guild Mansion. Logan burst through the front door and locked eyes with Remy, who was standing in front of her. "Knock Knock." he said, his gaze drifting from Remy to her. A growl that Rogue recognized as frustration on Logan's face, "Rogue." he snarled as he jumped at her.

Rogue's eyes widened as she caught Logan so that his claws barely scraped her face. A wave of irritation washed over Rogue as she felt the blood trickle down her face. Now that was just him being passive aggressive- the only way Logan knew how to be passive aggressive, slightly aggressive.

"Ah've got him! Handle tha rest until Ah put him down!" she called to Remy.

Logan seemed amused at her words. She wasn't sure why, maybe because he knew them to be a lie or he just liked the thought of someone actually managing to get the job done with him.

"I don't think ya realize what'ca've got yerself inta here, Rogue."

"No?" Rogue hissed. Of course he would say that. How many times would she have to prove that she wasn't the same seventeen year old kid who wondered onto the X-men's doorstep all those years ago?

"Yer in over yer head." Wolverine growled.

"Ah think Ah've got it undah control." Rogue snapped before kicking Logan in the chest.

Logan stumbled back and regrouped as they both seized an opportunity to regroup. It wasn't long before Logan made another run at Rogue, swiping his claws with no resignation to her safety. Rogue was sure he was doing this in attempt to teach her a shitty lesson.

"What's yer play here? Huh? Teaming up with these low lives, ta what end?" Wolverine demanded as he continued his assault.

Finally a question that didn't undermined her abilities. This question questioned her plan- the Professors plan, which was much less insulting. "Money." Rogue replied, "Revenge. Boredom. Take ya pick."

Logan's eyes narrowed, "It doesn't haveta be like this. Ya could still leave with us." he paused, standing up straight to look Rogue in the eyes. The message was clear, her out was there. After this fight she was on her own in the Big Easy.

"Can't do that, Logan." Rogue shook her head, as she spoke slightly out of breath. "Ah ain' got what Ah came for. Now, quit holdin' back. It's showtime." Rogue extra enunciated the 'show' before she leapt toward Logan.

Logan dodged her attack with ease, as was her plan. "Don't tell me tha Wolverine had grown soft in my absence?" she mocked, beaconing him forward with her bare hands.

Next thing that Rogue knew, she was standing up straight. Logan stood in front of her; his three claws were embedded into her midriff. Rogue's eyes widened in shock and in pain as someone screamed her name in the background.

"There's tha Wolverine Ah was lookin' for." Rogue said with some difficulty as the blood poured from her mouth. "Now's time for my rebuttal." she smirked as she grabbed the sides of Logan's face.

Logan's eyes flew open as Rogue took what she needed from him. First Rogue felt the scratches on her face disappear. Then Rogue pulled Logan's claws out of her with one hand and continued to hold onto his face until she felt the three holes in her stomach become whole once more. Pushing the now unconscious Logan away from her, Rogue turned her attention to the rest of the fights in the entrance hall.

In her head, Logan's psyche whispered, "I hope ya know what yer doin', Stripes."

Rogue immediately spotted Remy gapping at her in awe. Surveying the entrance hall, she decided Northstar was the most imminent threat to her operation.

Making her way over to Remy's side, Rogue watched as Jean-Paul bounded around on the rafters above them, dodging Remy's expertly placed exploding cards.

"Yo' good, Cherie?" he almost sounded worried.

Scoffing, Rogue said, "Gonna take more than stabbin' me in tha gut ta kill me." Unless Logan wasn't around for her to syphon that is.

"Noted." Remy mused as he threw more cards at Northstar.

"Imma need ya ta actually hit Northstar, Sugah." Rogue said impatiently.

"Been tryin'." Remy hissed, "He ain' exactly an' easy target."

Rogue knew that she was going to need more than just a tactile take down of Wolverine to hammer the final nail in the coffin that was Remy's trust in her. She knew what he had to do, it turned her stomach, but Rogue had another awful plan to get the job done.

Stepping in front of Remy, Rogue shouted upward, "Jean-Paul!-" Rogue continued shouting upward, but even she could not believe the words that came out of her mouth.

Rogue hated herself for exploiting her teammate's sensitive spot. She hated herself even more when Northstar stopped so quickly that he nearly fell over. The look on Jean-Paul's face was one of pure distraught then it changed to one of rage

In his fit of rage, Jean-Paul darted toward her... Rogue was ready for him; however, she had Wolverine's claws extended out so that the entire Guild could see them. With Remy's eyes on her, Rogue held up her hand to impale Northstar like Wolverine had done to her just a few moments earlier. Rogue squeezed her fist as she threw her hand out to meet Northstar's stomach.

When he was close enough that Remy could no longer see her claws, Rogue retracted them substantially. Rogue left just enough claw sticking out of her hand to draw some blood from Jean-Paul's stomach but not seriously maim or harm him.

"Ah'm sorry, JP." Rogue whispered as he fell into her and she caught her. When his head leaned near her shoulder Rogue quickly added, "Ah need ya ta play dead, Sugah." Rogue lowered Jean-Paul down to the ground, kissing his cheek. She made a show of pulling her hand away from his stomach before standing up and turning back to Remy.

Remy was staring at her with his mouth ajar. Either he hadn't believed she could take out her "former" team or hadn't believed she truly would. In the background, Rogue heard Scott screaming at her, asking her what she's done.

To really sell it, Rogue looked over at him and snarled, "Ah've sent ah message. Northstar is dead. You Are Next." As she did so, she did her best not to look down at her glove that was stained red with Jean-Paul's blood.

"I don't think so." Rogue thanked her luckily stars that Kitty had finally come out to play. Kitty grabbed the unconscious Logan and the faux unconscious JP and phased them out of harm's way- aka her line of sight.

Piotr and Scott squabbled about something as Rogue attempted to get her barrings about her. The next thing she noticed was Scott reaching for his visor. She knew what that meant.

"TAKE COVER!" she cried as Scott opened fire on the Guild. She closed her eyes and dove in front of Remy to take the blow.

After the brunt of the impact from Scott's optic beams, Rogue shifted as she and Remy flew through the air so that she would, for the second time in a week, be slammed against the wall. Rogue grunted as her body absorbed the entirely of the blow as she and Remy smacked against the wall.

First thing out of Remy's mouth was, "Chere, at dis rate, Imma start t'inkin' yo' care 'bout me."

Rogue rolled her eyes and shoved Remy off her. She hopped to her feet to take in the rest of the entrance hall. The X-men were gone, and if all went according to plan, they would not be back. She paid no attention as the teenager she'd come to know as Emil poke his head through the front door cautiously.

Remy and Emil engaged in a snapping match that ended in Remy walking dangerously in his cousin's direction.

That was her cue. Now was the time to really sell phase three. Placing a hand on her forehead, Rogue recalled all the times she'd been overwhelmed by psyches. It wasn't too hard to re-intact a once episodic experience.

Rogue forced Logan's bone claws out her hand and moaned in pain (which was somewhat genuine, that hurts). She let her legs buckle, falling to her knees. Her sudden collapse caused a stir around the thieves around her. She heard them discussing her behavior in the background, something about a file, and the names of the people she may or may not have absorbed during her stay in New Orleans.

Rogue let out a piercing scream as she clutched her head in pain; she retracted two claws on her left hand. While doing that, Rogue channeled the remaining residual power from the last time she'd actually absorbed Carol and managed to levitate herself off the ground. It was exhausting and soon enough, the pain in Rogue's head was real and she knew she would be unable to keep herself in the air for long.

Using the last bit of Carol's power she had, Rogue started to take to the air even higher, but a hand caught her ankle. She could hear Remy shouting her name in anxiety, but she could only respond by collapsing back to the ground. Remy caught her and cradled her in his arms. She didn't focus on that, the pain had become too real, and everything was fading. She knew she shouldn't have, but in desperation, she had whispered, "Help."

The next thing Rogue knew, she was lying in a bed, attached to a heart monitor, with Tante Mattie at her bedside. For a woman who claimed to know that Rogue was a traitor, she seemed to enjoy Rogue's company.  


* * *

 **TWO WEEKS POST OPERATION GUMBO**

Rogue had been uncharacteristically introverted after making her return to the mansion. She wasn't sure what it was, but something about the New Orleans mission wasn't sitting right with her.

Honestly, it could have been any number of things, like the dirty Congressman who was still floating around in her head or the look in Remy's eyes after he realized she'd been a plant all along.

She wasn't sure why she was all torn up. She didn't even like Remy. She saw him as a weak little man who would rather take the easy way out then face his problems. He was shady. He was easy manipulated by his adoptive father. He was selfish.

He was everything that Rogue could have been if she'd never found her way to the X-men.

Maybe that was her problem with him, he reminded her of everything she didn't want to be. But the psyche version of him in her head... he had revealed things that made Rogue sick to her stomach. She had not been alone in noticing her shared characteristics with Remy. He had seen them too; they had attracted him to her. He saw her as the one person who had any chance of understanding him. He had lead her down to the vault in hopes of convincing her of running away with him, but also in hopes that he would be able to grant her the freedom (through the collar) that he had never been able to give himself.

And she had betrayed him. She could have taken the collar, no matter what. He would have let her. Instead, she left him unconscious for the Guild to find him. She'd justified it at the time as cleaning up a lose end, making sure he couldn't follow her, but now. Now Rogue saw it for what it really was. She had done it to punish him, left him there to take the wrath of his Guild. Even if he had taken the out she provided him, he still would be under fire for bringing her on in the first place.

She had played judge, jury and executioner with a man's life. She didn't even know if he had lived through the whole ordeal. The guilt was beginning to consume her. He wasn't the innocent victim he thought he was, but he was hardly the villain in the story. Every fiber in her being wished she could go back and change it. She knew she should have let him run. Not letting him do so was hypocritical of her. How many times had she run? Too many to count. But she had lectured him. And lectured him. And she may very well of gotten him killed.

She should have let him run.

Rogue snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her name.

"Anna!" Scott called for the third time.

Rogue looked around the War Room somewhat sheepishly. "Sorry, Sugah, didja want something?" she asked.

Scott sighed, placing one hand down on the table and leaning on it, "Where you paying any attention at all?"

Rogue sat up straight in her chair, "Ah'll give ya three guesses." she said dryly.

As Scott massaged his temples in irritation, Bobby spoke up from his head, "Aw give it a rest Summers." he pleaded, "Rogue's back, the collar destroyed. Can't we have a little fun until the next Kree invasion?"

Scott glared at Bobby, "If we sit around and have fun until the next Kree invasion, we won't survive the next Kree invasion." he said in exasperation. Turning back to Rogue, Scott continued, "Let me re-explain the briefing you missed while on Planet Rogue. Cerebro has picked up some strange signals from Antarctica. We will continue to monitor the situation, but if the signal continues, we will move in to investigate."

"Antarctica?" Rogue scoffed, "What could possibly be in Antarctica?"

"That is precisely the point." Hank reinforced.

With a wave of her hand, Rogue said, "What'ca think is up there? Some kinda savage land?"

Logan perked up at Rogue's words, "Now that sounds like my kinda place."

Jubilee rolled her eyes, "Of course it does."

* * *

Later Rogue sat on the roof of the Mansion under the stars. She was wearing her pajamas and had her knees tucked to her chest.

A hand on her shoulder didn't even startle her. She was too wrapped up in her thoughts to react in a timely manner to the real world.

Jean-Paul sat down beside her, wrapping a comforting arm around her.  
"You okay?" he asked.

"Not really." Rogue murmured.

"Wanna talk about it?" Jean-Paul pressed. "I have the sneaking suspicion it's about that smokin' hot Cajun." he grinned.

Rogue stared out into the nighttime sky, "Is it that easy ta tell?"

Jean-Paul snorted, "Only to everyone with eyes. And anyone who has a good telescope in space."

Rogue groaned, and covered her face in her hands, "Ah made ah mistake JP."

Jean-Paul's head shot up, "Rogue, don't tell me you slept with him!" he squeaked, "Wait, no, please tell me you did. And give me details."

Rogue laughed at his eagerness, "No. Worse. He asked me ta run away with him. Instead, Ah... Ah knocked him out an' left him ta the sharks."

Jean-Paul whistled, "Oh, that's not nearly as romantic."

"Ah know." Rogue sighed, "Ah was jus' so angry at him... but it wasn't really him. It was tha parts of him that reminded me of who Ah used to be, tha parts Ah am so ashamed of... and he just..."

"He didn't forsake his family and everything he's ever known despite it's corruptness and run off to join a rag tag team of heroes trying to make the world a better place for human and mutants alike?" Jean-Paul quipped.

"No." Rogue huffed. "Tha X-men ain' the end all be all for repentin'."

"I could have been referring to the Avengers."

Rogue glared at Jean-Paul. "The rag tag team notwithstanding, Ah made ah mistake. Ah disregarded all the red tape Remy was wrapped up in with tha Guild... He ain't ah great man, hell he ain't even ah good man, but most importantly, he ain't me... Ah shouldn'ta judged him based on what Ah wanted him ta do."

Jean-Paul rubbed his hand up and down her arm, "That's quite the observation. I'm proud of you."

This time, Rogue flashed him a real smile, "Thanks, JP. Ah appreciate it."

* * *

 **A/N: I am so sorry this is late.  
So, I hope I made Rogue's motives for being a jerk to Remy abundantly clear. However, I'm not saying Rogue's actions are correct or even justified. She didn't know the whole story and judged anyway. She's just as flawed as everyone else, even though she's my favorite.  
**

 **NEXT WEEK: The Final Chapter/Epilogue: Remy starts going by Gambit and tentatively joins the X-men... but wait, where's Rogue?**

 *****When going through my file on this story and found the original ending. If you'd all like, I can post it as an "alternative ending". It's not nearly as long as the current one and it's pretty similar, but it has a rousing speech from Logan that I enjoy. Just let me know if you're interested.******


	13. I Ain't No Quitter

13\. I AIN'T NO QUITTER

ONE YEAR LATER

With the help of Pierce, Remy had managed to escape New Orleans with his limbs intact. It had not taken long for word of his imminent fate to reach him. Unsurprisingly, Marius wanted his head on a pike but Jean-Luc and Henri (probably more so the latter) had convinced the Assassin's Patriarch to settle for his exile from New Orleans, with the punishment of death if he were to return.

In a twisted turn of events, Remy had gotten his way. He had been able to run away, forced to actually. Since his life with the Thieves Guild was over, Remy, under the pseudonym Gambit, had traveled the world. In his wake he had left a legacy of thievery, tragedy and mind blowing sex. He had traveled to Chicago, Paris, London, Cairo, Johannesburg, Sydney, Rio and various other places around the globe.

Yet somehow, his final destination was a place that hadn't even been on his itinerary (not that he had had one). His final stop on his international tour was New York, more specifically, Westchester, the home of Charles Xavier and his esteemed X-men.

Gambit had been there for just over a month, but the X-men had yet to warm up to his presence. He couldn't blame their questioning of his motives, even he was wondering what the hell he was doing. He hadn't made the best first impression on quite a few X-men either. The first time he ran into Northstar he nearly shit himself. The man looked pretty damn good for a guy he watched bleed out in his childhood home. Jean-Paul had promptly avoided him and no one was interested in explaining to him how Jean-Paul had survived Rogue's impalement.

 _Rogue_ … She wasn't the _entire_ reason that Gambit had found himself on the X-men's door step. He joined partly out of boredom, partly out of curiosity and only partly to find out more about her. Gambit hadn't directly asked anyone about her, he figured she was a sore subject and also didn't want to look like a stalker. However, after one night of snooping around the mansion (he couldn't help himself) he had stumbled across a vacant room that he was positive had once belonged to Rogue. He thought that because there were pictures of her with various other X-men and because of the various pairs of gloves that lay around the room haphazardly. Everything in the room was coated in dust, but the X-men still left it untouched. He wondered if they were optimistic about her return or if they just couldn't bring themselves to accept the truth.

The most interesting thing he'd learned about Rogue was what she had been hiding under the bandana. While in her room, Gambit picked up a picture of her, Wolverine and Kitty. Rogue had her arm wrapped around Wolverine's neck in a half hug. With a bright smile on her face, Rogue gave the camera a peace sign with her free hand while Wolverine had his arms folded grumpily and Kitty gave him bunny ears. The thing that stood out most in the picture was the white streaks of hair that outlined Rogue's face.

The thought of her reminded Gambit of the afternoon that he showed up on the X-men's doorstop.

* * *

 _He stood on the stone porch outside of a grand oak door as he tried to convince himself to make a move. Either he needed to knock on the door or he needed to walk away, and not just stand there like a creep. After a little bit of mental coaxing, he knocked._

 _In reality he didn't have to wait very long for the doors to open, but in his head he felt like he had been standing outside for an eternity. When the door did open, it did so slowly. A small Asian girl peeked through the crack in the door, regarding him cautiously._

 _"_ _Can I help you?" she asked, eying him up and down, and liking what she saw._

 _"_ _Oui, 'm lookin' for de Wolverine." He replied nonchalantly._

 _"_ _What'ca want with Logan?" she asked suspiciously. "Typically, people who come looking for him aren't good news… then again, they don't usually knock either." She reasoned aloud, opening the door wider ever so slightly._

 _"_ _Made it a point t'knock dis time." Gambit said to his own amusement. "'Sides, he an' I got a mutual friend… 'm kinda passively lookin' for her an' t'ought he may be able t'help."_

 _Jubilee put a hand on her hip, "Logan doesn't have any friends. Let alone mutual ones."_

 _"_ _Jubes? Who's at the door?" Another girl walked up behind Jubilee. This one was a petite brunette that Gambit recognized as Shadowcat. Kitty turned her gaze to him and regarded him icily, "What are_ you _doing here?"_

 _Jubilee looked at Kitty in confusion for her sudden rudeness, "Uh, Kitty? Wanna explain?" she asked scratching her head._

 _Kitty shoved a finger in Gambit's direction, "This is the guy that stole the inhibitor collar last summer." She hissed._

 _Jubilee raised an eyebrow as she started to put together Gambit's veiled words, "Man," she sighed, "Anna always gets the best missions." She said wistfully, giving Gambit another once over, not even trying to hide it._

 _Gambit held up his hands placidly, "I come in peace. I jus' wanna see de Wolverine. No funny business, I swear."_

 _Kitty glared at him, "Logan isn't here. You wanna talk to someone, then I'll take you to the Professor."_

 _With nothing to lose, Gambit took her up on her rhetorical offer and met with the pretentious sounding Professor X. Gambit took to the seat adjacent to the Professor's desk and harshly judged everything he saw in the office from the cherry oak desk to the matching bookcases,_

 _The Professor regarded him in amusement, "Mr. LeBeau, I must say that I never thought I would see you in my house during the daylight hours."_

 _Gambit didn't respond to the jab because, frankly, he deserved that one. "Oui. 'm lookin' fo' someone. Wolverine." He clarified._

 _The Professor smiled, "No, I don't believe you are looking for Logan. At least, that's not your end game. You are searching for Rogue. I am sorry to inform you that she is not here. Neither is Logan. But I implore you to stay a while, Mr. LeBeau, I think you could find quite a home here with us."_

 _Gambit knew that it wasn't a con, but damnit if he hadn't pitched lines similar to that to unsuspecting marks. In another life, Professor Pretentious would have been a great con-artist. "Merci, but I don' t'ink yo' crew would appreciate m'bein' here." His thoughts drifted back to the pink haired girl with the extruding bones._

 _"_ _I respectfully disagree. Many of the people here have faced similar dilemmas and have become vital assets to our team." Professor Xavier said sincerely._

 _"_ _I dunno…" Gambit said doubtfully._

 _The Professor held up his hand, "Before you say no, why don't you stay a while. We can see if you and the X-men are a good match... If not, Logan will return, eventually."_

* * *

With the Professor's suggestion in mind, Gambit stayed. He'd run through numerous Danger Room sessions with Cyclops, who wasn't too bad of a guy, but Gambit wasn't a fan. The two seemed to share this sentiment about each other, a respectful "You're good at what you do but I don't like you" gray area.

Gambit also run across the pink haired girl, Sarah was her name. The girl was rightfully wary of him, but she had been the first person to accept him as a member of the team. Maybe it was because he had saved her from Jean-Luc or maybe she bought into Xavier's idea of second chances and whatnot. It didn't matter, Gambit was grateful to the teenager for holding the sins of the father against him.

After about three weeks with the X-men, Gambit decided that he didn't totally hate the whole going straight thing, and he decided to throw his name in to go out on actual missions. However, with most of the team still wary of him, he didn't get to go out on the big boy missions. He knew with time that would change. In the meantime, he had to work on proving himself, and he was okay with that.

Currently, Gambit sat in the Rec Room of the X-Manor. More specifically, he sat on the floor of the Rec Room, in front of the large TV with a controller in hand as he proceeded to whip Bobby's ass in a first person shooter game. When Gambit killed Bobby's avatar for the fourth time, Bobby threw his controller down in frustration.

"I thought you said you've never played!" he whined childishly.

Gambit shrugged, "I ain't. But I've watched m'cousins play plenty o' times. I'm a visual learner." He replied smugly.

Bobby glared at him, "Best five outta nine."

Gambit raised an eyebrow, "Yo' really t'ink yo' can beat me de next five times in a row?"

"S'matter, Gambit? You chicken?" Bobby mocked, bending his arms and flapping them.

"Non!" Gambit said indignantly, starting another round.

Bobby was about to pick up his controller to give it another go when he suddenly shuddered and then sighed. He pressed the pause button and stood up, "Let's go Gambit, just gotta telepathic page to the War Room."

Giving him a dubious look, Gambit ditched his controller and followed Bobby, "Dat's awfully convenient fo' yo, I was jus' 'bout t'have a five-peat."

"When we get back you are so on." Bobby muttered.

With nothing else exchanged between them, Gambit and Iceman made their way to the War Room and took their seats along with the other X-men.

* * *

Gambit tapped his fingers against the top of the table anxiously as he glanced around at all the faces in the room. For the most part, many of the X-men pretended he wasn't there. Storm shot him a comforting smile from across the table which did wonders to help calm him. He had never wanted a group of people to like him before, he hated dealing with the social anxiety of saying or doing something that would upset his peers and get him ejected.

Cyclops cleared his throat and stood at the head of the rather long table with his business face on. "We've finally received a ping on Cerebro from the Antarctic"

Jubilee perked up, "Logan and Anna? You think it was them?"

Cyclops shrugged, "We don't think it was anyone. But I know that this is the first lock on that strange mass since we sent them to investigate three months ago. Shadowcat, Northstar, Warbird, Iceman, Forge and Gambit, you're with me. Now to the jet, we're gonna go get our people."

Jubilee loudly protested her exclusion until Cyclops sighed in resignation and told her to suit up. It took about ten minutes, but they were all able to congregate on the Blackbird, ready to go.

On the plane, Gambit could have sat next to Bobby and continued to pester him about his losing streak, but instead he opted for the more awkward encounter. Gambit took the open seat next to Northstar.

The Canadian mutant ignored his existence as Cyclops took the Blackbird to the air. Gambit took a deep breath, no one said being a good guy was going to be easy, especially when he'd subsequently burnt a lot of bridges with the people who were supposed to be his allies.

"Northstar," Gambit said softly, "Look, homme, I get dat we've got some bad blood, but yo' gotta know that I didn' know Rogue was gonna do any o' dat. I didn' order it."

Northstar crossed his arms and leered at Gambit, "No, you look, _homme,_ this doesn't have anything to do with what happened in New Orleans. I just don't trust you. It's only a matter of time until you want to settle the score."

Gambit pursed his lips and stopped attempting to converse with Jean-Paul. So he didn't like him. Gambit didn't really like Gambit. What bothered him was Jean-Paul's final sentence. Why would he want revenge? Because the X-men had attacked him while he was a part of the Guild? If he had wanted revenge for that he sure as hell wouldn't have joined in the first place, kind of counter-productive.

Gambit spent the rest of the flight to Antarctica pondering Northstar's strange statement.

"Holy Dinosaurs, Batman!" Jubilee cried in exclamation as she gaped out of the window. Jubilee's sudden burst pulled Gambit from his thoughts. He removed himself from his seat and headed toward the closest window to get a better look at what Jubilee was causing such a commotion about.

Looking out the window, Gambit understood Jubilee's elation. Just below them were herds upon herds of animals, but not _any_ animals; Dinosaurs, actual living, breathing animals in the middle of a green jungle in the middle of an icy wasteland. Of all the weird things Gambit had even seen (and he'd seen quite a few) this one took the cake.

"There!" Kitty exclaimed, pointing out the window at something.

Upon further inspection in the direction Kitty pointed, Gambit noticed a stationary plane stranded in the middle of a clearing the jungle terrain. It looked like a smaller and more beat-up version of the Blackbird. He watched the jet grow larger and larger as Cyclops brought the Blackbird in closer to it. Cyclops landed the 'Bird smoothly next to the crashed mini-jet and dropped the cargo bay.

With the cargo bay down, the X-men flooded out into the jungle and over to the mini-jet, the first thing that hit Gambit was the humidity of the place. He was used to heat. Heat didn't bother him, but here the air was so hot and thick that it was almost difficult to breathe.

As Gambit tried to acclimate himself to the hellish climate of the jungle, Kitty ran past him and through the metal of the mini-jet. She was gone and back within a blink of an eye. When she came back out of the jet relief washed over her.

"No bodies in here!" she shouted in joy.

Cyclops exhaled slowly, taking a moment to compose himself. Then he nodded and switched into leader mode. "Forge get in there and see if it's salvageable. Warbird and Jubilee go south, look for signs of anyone, Iceman go west, Gambit east, I'll go north…. If that's possible right now. Northstar, stay here and stand guard. If you hear a cry for help you go. The comms link is down so we're out here blind. Be careful everyone. There could literally be anything in these woods. Go."

The team split up and Gambit tread east through the brush of the jungle. The place was beautiful, it was full of exotic plants that Gambit was sure were thought to be extinct. As he went he did his best to keep his trench coat close as it kept collecting burrs and small insects. He hated burrs.

Scanning around him, Gambit kept his eyes open for any trances of a human presence. He saw neither twigs out of place nor any footprints in the mud. It was becoming a very daunting task considering he didn't know how far he would have to walk until he came across any form of human life, if he came across any at all.

After what had to be half an hour, Gambit grew weary of walking aimlessly through the jungle. The heat was beginning to wear him down and he walked sluggishly, his mouth dry. He looked for a nice shady spot to take a load off. He found one rather quickly at the base of what he thought was an old sycamore tree. As he started toward it, Gambit noticed that a beautiful bright purple flower grew at the base of the trunk. He kept his eyes locked on the flower as he ascended on the tree.

That was a mistake.

Gambit didn't know what had happened until it was too late. One second he was walking, the next there was a tight enclosing around his ankle and he was suddenly hanging upside down. Gambit hung there, annoyed with himself and the stupid trap. He could feel the blood rushing to his head, so he hoisted himself up to charge whatever it was the strung him up. Before he could get the job done, he felt a sharp object press against his back. He knew weapons wells enough to know a spearhead when he felt one.

"Don't move." The voice the wielded the spear ordered. The voice sounded eerily familiar.

Gambit returned to his original upside down position, letting his arms hang limply and his coat hang awkwardly around him. He waited for the spearhead to retreat or imbed itself into his back. It retreated. The wielder rounded him so that they were face to face.

He was amused and relieved at what he saw.

Rogue eyed him in annoyance as she kept the spear trained on him as if she were his enemy. Gambit knew in the back of his mind that she very well might be. The question was how had she ended up here?

"Whoa, whoa, Chere, it's me, Remy." He said cautiously, eying the spearhead that was far too close to his throat for his liking. While he hung there staring at Rogue, he caught sight of her outfit, or her substantial lack of one. What was left of Rogue's shirt clung to her breasts like a sports bra and her pants were reduced to what could pass as under wear. "You Tarzana, me Remy." He quipped.

Rogue swung the spear and Remy braced himself for impact. However, the pain never came. At least not in the way he had expected. Gambit fell to the ground with a loud thud, landing uncomfortably on his upper back.

Rogue had cut the rope.

She helped him to his feet and rolled her eyes at him. "Swamp rat, what in tha hell are ya doin' here?" she asked, sheathing her spear using the belt around her waist.

Springing to his feet, Gambit said, "Believe it or not, I joined de X-men. 'M here t'help rescue Wolverine an' some femme named Anna…." Gambit gave her a once over. And not just in a pervy way, he did so suspiciously while enjoying the view. "Yo' wouldn't have happened t'kill 'em?" he asked while rubbing the back of his neck.

Rogue crossed her arms, "Ya slow on tha pick up ain't'ca?" she mused.

Gambit blanched at her, "What'ca mean? It would make sense. Y'hate de X-men, no?"

Shaking her head at his hopelessness, Rogue got down to business, "Where's Scott? Did he lead ya'll here?"

"Oui?" Gambit said slowly as the gears in his head began to turn, "but why woul- Merde...You're Anna." He realized.

Rogue nodded slowly. "Good job, Ah'll give ya ah gold star after we regroup. Take me ta ya leader. X-man." She mused.

Gambit took the lead as they doubled back toward the base camp. Things were getting weirder and weirder by the second. How long had Rogue been back with the X-men?

They didn't speak at all on their way back, but periodically Gambit would glance back to make sure she was still there. He wasn't entirely convinced he wasn't hallucinating due to heat exhaustion. Leading Rogue back out of the brush, Gambit stepped aside when they caught sight of Northstar. Rogue seemed over joyed by his presence because she shouted his name and ran to him.

Jean-Paul caught her in a flying hug, "Rogue! Thank God! We thought maybe…." He trailed off as he held Rogue out at arm's length

"Please," Rogue scoffed, "Like hell Ah'ma die in some prehistoric shit hole."

Northstar smiled but asked anxiously, "Where's Logan?"

Rogue took a step back from Jean-Paul's embrace and licked her lips while rubbing the back of her neck, "He's… he's gone berserk. Ah mean full on feral animal. Ah ain' seen him in ah couple weeks 'cause he ain' respondin' t'nothin'. He's all growls an' senseless violence."

"So nothin' new." Gambit muttered near the brush they had just come through, inspecting his fingernails dutifully.

His obviously correct statement was ignored and Northstar and Rogue continued to converse. "There's more." Rogue said solemnly. "Magneto's here. Or he was. He's got this asteroid base. Ah thought Ah could trust him… but…" Rogue trailed off. "He did this ta Logan. Flipped some kinda switch in his head. He wanted us ta join him but Ah refused an' escaped with Logan jus' ta have him lose is damn mind on me." Rogue pointed to three fresh scars down her stomach.

"How many times has dis homme taken a piece out o' yo'?" Gambit muttered in disbelief.

Rogue glared at him over her shoulder. "Quite ah few."

Northstar nodded, "Right. We need to find him."

"Easier said than done, Sugah. Logan is ah animal. He's as savage as this place is. Ah watched him corner an' take down ah T-rex. Even if we did find him, we wouldn't be able to talk sense inta him or even win ah fight with him. 'Sides, he'd smell us ah mile ah-way."

A loud shriek that vaguely echoed Logan's name from the west and scared most of the birds from the surrounding trees.

"I t'ink Shadowcat has found Wolverine." Gambit said wearily.

Rogue and Northstar exchanged horrified looks. Without a seconds hesitation he grabbed Rogue's hand and nodded mutely at her. Rogue understood what he meant. Northstar stumbled back for the briefest of second while holding Rogue's hand but managed to regain his composure quickly. Rogue withdrew her hand and Northstar straightened up and said, "Meet you there."

Northstar took off west. Blowing past the brush like it wasn't there; it looked like he was flying over it.

Turning to Gambit, Rogue said, "Wanna ride?"

Gambit smirked, "Oui, but not in de way yo'-"

Rogue grabbed Gambit's shoulders, "Don'ca dare finish that sentence." She hissed as they took after Northstar. "An' if ya sweat on me Ah will drop ya."

It only took two minutes for them to arrive on a scene that would have taken them at least half an hour to walk to. What they saw was the feral Wolverine swiping wildly at Kitty, but he never landed a hit because she phased through his advances. This angered Wolverine, his nostrils were flared, his face was red and he barred all this teeth. It was an unsettling sight.

Kitty tried to plead with Logan in between his attacks, but he would only growl in reply and take another swipe at her. Kitty was becoming more and more frustrated with her method and was also visibly upset about her teammate trying to maim her.

"Now what?" Gambit asked.

"Time for Logan ta take ah nap." Rogue said.

While Wolverine's attention was occupied with Kitty, Rogue darted toward him using Northstar's speed. She was able to sneak up behind him and grab his bare skin before he was even knew what was happening. She held onto him until his knees started to buckle and she caught his limp body.

Gambit watched on and wondered what kind of fucked up relationship Rogue and Wolverine had that they were constantly stabbing/knocking each other out. The X-men were a far more complicated bunch than he had realized.

Rogue heaved one of Logan's arms over her shoulder and motioned for Gambit to get the other. Together the two of them toted the unconscious Wolverine back through the forest. While they did so Rogue grunted to Northstar, "JP, go round up the rest of the team. The sooner Ah get outta this place, tha better."

* * *

Forge was able to get the X-jet up and running with little difficulty. As the team regrouped in the clearing, he stood basking in his accomplishment. After some resistance, they eventually split up into two groups. Forge, Iceman, Rogue, Gambit and the unconscious Logan rode in the X-jet while Cyclops, Northstar, Warbird, Jubilee and Shadowcat took the Blackbird.

With Forge up in the cockpit with Bobby, Rogue and Gambit were left to babysit Logan's unconscious body. If he were to wake up it was their job to put him back to sleep until they could get him to the Professor for a mental cleanse.

So there they sat, next to each other on the side seats of the plane. Gambit sat with his arms crossed and his legs stretched out in the open space. After all the commotion had died down he realized that his year of passively wondering and wandering had paid off and he was finally face to face with Rogue again.

"So…" he said awkwardly, "You're an X-man again?"

Rogue was wearing his trench coat. Mostly because he offered and partly because the air conditioning on the jet was freezing and her lack of proper clothes made it a little bit uncomfortable. He liked the look of her in it. However at his words she gave him a concerned look, "Sugah Ah was never _not_ ah X-man."

Suddenly Jean-Paul's words made sense. The X-men hadn't just attacked him, they'd manipulated him. Rogue had manipulated him. The thought didn't make him angry. It didn't even make him sad. It gave him a sense of relief as he finally understood what Rogue's game had been. He had finally solved the puzzle. Sorta.

"But yo' stabbed Northstar…" Gambit recalled in confusion.

"Only enough ta draw some blood." Rogue said defensively.

Gambit blinked, "An' tha fight wit' Captain Marvel?"

Rogue rubbed the back of her neck, "Ah may have lured her there then got her ta put on ah show." Rogue mumbled.

Gambit whistled, "Dat's impressive."

Rogue kept her eyes trained on her feet as she bundled up in his coat. "Yeah… Ah'm sorry ah-bout how it all went down but Ah had ta destroy tha collar an' Ah couldn't risk ya puttin' it all tagether." She said quietly.

Gambit shrugged, "I get it. Yo' were followin' orders. Sometimes yo' gotta do bad t'ings 'cause dey're de only option."

Shaking her head, Rogue said, "No. Ah coulda let'ca run. Once Ah had ya in my head Ah knew ya woulda let me walk away with tha collar… Ah had no right ta call ya ah coward for doin' tha same thing Ah've done more than my fair share of." Rogue said apologetically, her hands slipping into his coat pockets.

He hadn't expected an apology. He hadn't expected her to feel guilty. "Don' worry 'bout it. Yo' were right, can't run away from t'ings 'cause it's easier den facin' 'em.'Sides, I got what I wanted in de end anyway.

Rogue have him a confused look, "What'ca mean?"

"Belle left me at de alter. Gave de most inspirin' speech 'bout doin' what was best fo' herself, 'bout how she truly felt…. Now where yo' t'ink she got dat idea?" he said pointedly.

Rogue smiled. "Well at least one o' ya was smart enough ta take my advice." She pulled her hand out of the right pocket and looked down curiously at what she found in her hand. It was the Queen of Spades she'd left him. Rogue turned her confused glance to Gambit.

"I keep it with' me t'remind me dat runnin' ain' de answer." Gambit said quietly as a strange look crossed Rogue's face. "Rogue," he called her attention back to him, "Yo' powers, are dey still outta wack? Wit' de losin' control t'ing?"

Rogue fisted the card, crumbling it again. "No." she said softly. "Not any more…" she paused. "Ah've had control over my powers for ah-bout ah year an' ah half… Ah was puttin' on ah show for ya." She said in shame.

Gambit shifted uncomfortably. She had manipulated him far more than he'd realized. He should have been upset, but he was instead impressed at her stealth and cunning; two things that a man of his background could properly appreciate. "I see." He replied. Reaching up he twirled her white streak in his fingers, "gotta say though, I'm most disappointed yo' kept dese hidden." He added lightly.

Smiling Rogue swatted his hand away playfully. "Ah was tryin' ta keep myself discreet."

"Den yo' shoulda wore a bag over yo' head, cause dere ain' nothin' 'bout you dat's discreet."

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Are ya tryin' ta flirt with me, LeBeau?" she laughed.

"Oui." Gambit replied unabashedly.

Rogue's face darkened at the sincerity in his voice. "Listen… when Ah absorbed ya, Ah got ah piece o' ya psyche… an' Ah know things Ah don't think ya'd want me ta know. Things that Belle confirmed..."

Gambit raised an eyebrow, "Yo' gonna haveta be more specific, chere. I can' t'ink o' plenty o' t'ings I don' want anyone to know."

Twiddling her thumbs together, Rogue said, "Ya feelings toward me, ya gotta know, everything ya thought ya felt for me… it wasn't real. Ah represented freedom ta ya. That's what'ca fell in love with. Not plain ol' me." Rogue said quickly.

Gambit smiled in relief. If that was the worst thing she got from him, then he had nothing to sweat. "I'm inclined t'disagree wit' dat. Dere was yo' sass, yo' ability t'take care o' yo'self, ya complete intolerance fo' other people's bullshit- mine inculded, de ways yo' eyes sparked when yo' were determined... Dose are t'ings yo' can't fake, Rogue. I could go on." he added, stroking her cheek with his finger, "But if yo need proof, den I'm willin' t'do dat.

Rogue shook her head adamantly, "Ya don't know me." She repeated.

Gambit's smile broadened. "Den let's start over. De name's Gambit," he took her hand and kissed her knuckles chastely. "But yo' can call me Remy."

"Gambit, eh?" Rogue mused. She considered Gambit's suggestion and figured she didn't have anything to lose. She tried and failed to fight a smile that appeared on her lips, "Rogue. But Ah guess ya can call me Anna if ya play ya cards right."

"What a coincidence. I am an expert at playin' my cards right." Gambit said seriously.

Rogue laughed at him, "You're an arrogant S.O.B., y'know that, Remy?"

Gambit smiled, "'Tis part o' my charm. And wouldn't'ca know, I t'ink dat's the first time you've ever used m'name."

Rogue wrapped the trench coat tighter around herself shrugged, "Would ya perfer Swamp Rat?" she quipped.

"Call me whatever yo' want, chere." Gambit chuckled.

"That's ah dangerous statement, Gumbo." Rogue grinned, bumping their shoulders playfully.

They drifted into a comfortable silence, both resting against the worn seats of the X-Jet. They pretended to not notice the frequent backwards glances from the cockpit. Bobby going as far to even awkwardly wink and throw up the "Okay" and signal.

As two sides of the same coin, each of them had faced long roads that lead them to the X-men. They both made mistakes, many of the same mistakes, but they were determined to right the wrongs of their pasts. Sitting there in the seats of the X-jet, both Rogue and Gambit finally felt as though they were where they were supposed to be.

"Hey Remy." Rogue spoke after a long while, glancing over at him nervously.

Gambit, who had been drifting in and out of sleep subtly jumped and hummed out a quiet reply.

"How long ya plan on staying with the X-men?" she asked out rightly, doing her best not to seem too interested in his answer.

Gambit opened his eyes and a smirk encompassed his lips, "A while."

~FIN~

* * *

 **A/N: So tomorrow I'm headin' south of the Mason-Dixon to visit a dear friend of mine. A fitting conclusion for an author as she wraps a story about her favorite (fictional) southerners, no?  
Anyway, that's all for this one folks (Alt Ending to follow). Thank you to everyone who read it and all the positivity I received in the reviews. Special shout out to Lovely Smile (Thanks for all the enthusiasm) and Paulina Ann (I enjoyed your analyses) for being there since the beginning, also to Untouchable Hexing Witch. Seriously, all your reviews (and every review in general) made me giddily happy and helped keep me on track with this story. You guys, and everyone else who reviewed at all, rock!  
**

 **Be on the look out for future stories from me. Possibly the Rogue companion piece or the epic of a story I've been working on _for years_ (it's like 40 chapters (I have like 33 completed)) called _Dis-continuum_ , which is set in the WATXM universe but I don't really wanna post it there because it's practically a graveyard. I know when I used to read fics religiously I rarely wandered to that category. I dunno, we'll see. **


	14. Smoke (Alt Ending)

**"Alternate Ending"**

13: SMOKE

ONE YEAR LATER

Remy LeBeau, in the months that had preceded had taken up the mantle Gambit. Under his Gambit pseudonym, he had traveled the world and left a legacy of thievery, tradegy and mind blowing sex in his wake. He'd traveled to Chicago, Paris, London, Cyro, Johanasburgh, and various other places all around the globe.

Yet somehow, he managed to find himself here. In New York. Specifically Westchester, on the steps of the Xavier Institute. Of all the places he thought he would end up after his exile from New Orleans, this wasn't even on the list. However, he had demons he had to face, demons he had to at least attempt to redeem. Then there was always the demon that he had to find, but that was at the bottom of his redemption list.

With that in mind, he knocked on the door.

In reality, he did not have to wait long for the door to open, but in his head, he felt like he had been standing on the porch for an eternity. When the door opened, it did so slowly and a small Asian girl regarded him cautiously.

"Can I help you?" she asked, eying him up.

"Oui. 'M lookin' fo' de Wolverine." Gambit replied nonchalantly.

"What'ca want with Logan?" she asked suspiciously. "Typically people who come looking for him aren't good news... But then again, they don't usually bother to knock either." she reasoned, opening the door wider ever so slightly.

"Made it a point t'knock dis time." Remy said to his own amusement, "'Sides, he an' I got a mutual friend. Ain' really lookin' fo' her, but I figured I oughta check dis place out." Gambit shrugged.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"Gambit."

She raised an eyebrow, "What's with no one using their real names?" she muttered under her breath, "My name's Jubilee."

"Bon t'meet'ca Jubilee." Gambit said, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. Jubilee blushed and stuttered something incoherently as she stepped out of the way so that Gambit could enter the mansion.

"Just uh, wait here. I'll go get Logan." she sputtered, still bright red.

Gambit smirked as he watched her run off. He took the moment to inspect the foyer around him. It was elegant with its ceiling height and wide open space, not to mention the great interior decorating. Even the steps were beautifully crafted with a red carpet running up the center, and then there was the somewhat gaudy crystal chandelier that hung over his head. Gambit whistled, he was slightly impressed. _Slightly_.

His thoughts started to drift to places that he wished it wouldn't. He vaguely wondered if Rogue had ever stood where he currently did and admired the view as he was. How many times had she occupied this same foyer? Shared laughs here? Shouted accusations?

On second thought, Gambit decided that coming here was a bad idea. He turned to leave, changing his mind about his redemption, but was interrupted by Wolverine's voice.

"Where ya think yer goin' Gumbo?" Wolverine growled.

Gambit turned front and center. Wolverine inspected him "Remy LeBeau, I'll be damned. Didn't expect ta ever see ta again. 'Least not under circumstances that didn't involve a fight... Will this involve a fight?" he asked almost hopefully.

"Non." Gambit shook his head, "I come in peace."

"Pity" Wolverine said as he continued to stride over to him. Logan stopped just short of him and crossed his arms. "But why come at all?"

Gambit shrugged, "Ain' got nowhere else t'go. Figured I'd explore m'options."

Wolverine sniffed the air, "Ya can lie all ya want, Cajun. Just know that I can smell 'em. Now what'ca really doin' here?"

Gambit sighed and shuffled his feet, "Lookin' for redemption, fo' answers, fo'..." he trailed off.

"Rogue?" Wolverine guessed.

Gambit's face darkened. "In a way, oui."

"Broke ya heart, didn't she?" Wolverine cooed in amusement.

Gambit's eyes widened then narrowed, "Don' act like ya don' wanna find her neither. De way she'd talk 'bout yo', yo' two obviously were close."

Wolverine raised an eyebrow at Gambit's accusatory tone. "What can I say. I seem ta attract sassy little girls with Daddy-issues. I take 'em under my wing an' do my best ta prepare them for the harsh reality... come with me, Gambit." Wolverine beckoned him as he started back up the marble staircase.

Gambit decided he had nothing to lose by following Logan- besides limbs- so he did.

"Ya wanna be an X-man? Fine. Ya wanna pine after Rogue? Fine. But'ca can't do both. An' ya can't be an X-man purely fo' Rogue's sake either." Wolverine said matter of factually. "Ya become an X-man fer yaself, fer the mutant population. Not in attempt ta track down ya unrequited love."

"Unrequited love?" Gambit repeated, scoffing as he did so.

Wolverine sniffed the air, "What'd I tell ya 'bout lyin' Gumbo?"

"Wasn't unrequited." Gambit muttered, still following Wolverine through the halls to what could be his death.

"Really? Then ya know where Rogue is? She's tried ta contact ya?" Wolverine asked over his shoulder.

"Well, no. But-"

"Listen, Gambit. All I'm sayin' is that if yer lookin' fer her, be prepared for where ya find her an' what'ca find out 'bout her. Rogue's a three dimensional person. She makes her own decisions."

Gambit made a face, "Ya speak rather amicably 'bout her, considerin' how ya'll left t'ings in N'Orleans."

Wolverine shrugged, "She's still m'girl. No matter what happens."

Gambit blinked, "Mebbe 'm not cut out t'be a good guy after all." he muttered.

Wolverine chuckled, "Never said I was a good guy. Me an' ya, we're a different breed from the righteous do-gooders that inhabit this place." Wolverine motioned to the walls around them. "We're more o' anti-heroes."

"Didn't realize y' fancied yo self a philosopher Misure Claws."

Wolverine rolled his eyes and stated, "My point is that ta don' have ta be squeaky clean or do it 'cause it's the right thing in general. Ya can be an X-man, Remy. Ain' no one gonna stop ya, if ya don' do nothin' stupid that is. The question is, do ya wanna be an X-man, really?"

Gambit said nothing as he mulled over Wolverine's words.

They stopped suddenly in the middle of the hallway and Wolverine turned around, his arms crossed and a placid look on his face. "I need ya answer now. An' the real one, not what'ca think I wanna hear." he tapped his nose as a reminder.

After a few beats Gambit replied, "Oui."

Wolverine nodded, "Good." he turned to a door on the left and slammed his fist against it. "Stripes! Get up!" he shouted.

Gambit was taken aback slightly by the switch that Wolverine had flipped. He'd gone from a sentimental old friend to a grouchy son of a bitch.

"It's noon!" Wolverine growled, "Get'ca ass outta bed fo' I come in there an' pull ya out."

The door opened violently and a young woman with long brown hair and a white streak replaced the door. She faced Wolverine and glared at him,"In case ya forgot, we jus' got back from the Savage Land yesterday." she snapped, "Not everyone can bounce back as fast as ya. Tha Professor gave me tha week off an' Ah intent on utilizin' every single second o' it in m'bed."

Wolverine smirked at her, "Stripes, I wan'tca ta meet our newest recruit." Wolverine motioned to the man standing outside Rogue's slight line.

Rogue scowled at him as she turned sharply to rudely greet the newest recruit. She got one good look at him and froze. "Remy?" she asked under her breath.

Gambit blinked and eyed Wolverine in annoyance. That explained everything that had just came out of his mouth. 'Be prepared for where and what'ca find'. Smug son of a bitch.

"Long time no see, eh, chere?" Gambit asked.

Wolverine sent Rogue a smug look, "I gotta DR session in ten. Ya choices are either ta show Gambit here around an' takin' him to Chuck or ta join me. Enjoy yer time off." he said patronizingly as he left the two alone.

Rogue blanched at Gambit, "How didja find me?"

Gambit scoffed, "No offense, but I didn't come here for you." That was partly true. "Real question is, how much o'what I know 'bout'ca is a lie."

Rogue sighed and closed her bedroom door. She started to walk away but Gambit followed right after her, so she conceded. "Not much." she said resignedly. "Tha X-men an' Ah never had ah fallin' out. Ah was ah plant. We knew ya had ah weakness fo' beautiful woman, so we mixed that with ah challenge fo' ya ta conquer, plus we played on ya pity o' not havin' control."

Gambit's jaw clenched, "So yo' powers?"

Rogue nodded, "Yeah, it wasn't ah hard sell. Ah've spent tha majority o' my life without control over them."

"How long yo' had control?" Gambit asked absently, his mind racing with the new information.

"'Bout ah year and ah half." she wrung her bare hands together.

Gambit nodded, "An' de white streak?"

Rogue touched her hair, "Ah've always had it. Ah just kept it covered with that god-awful bandana."

Gambit pursed his lips, "One last question... De whole time, I t'ought yo' liked me. I was sure o' it... so tell me, was it real?"

Rogue missed a few beat and her gazed dropped to the floor in shame. "No."

When Gambit started to turn away from her, having enough answers, she caught his arm, "Not at first." she swallowed. "At first Ah thought'ca were a sonva bitch, always runnin' 'round on Belladonna, ya were smug 'bout everything ya didn, frankly ah peice o' shit." Rogue explained.

"T'anks fo' de peptalk." Gambit muttered.

Rogue glared at him for interrupting her, "Then Ah started ta notice ya changin' in fron o' my eyes. Ah gotta look at tha real Remy LeBeau. Ah know it was ya who covered me with that blanket... Ah realized that Jean-Luc was ah power hungry SOB who didn't really give a damn 'bout'ca. He only saw tha potential in ya powers, same as when he got ah look at me. Ah ain' no stranger ta that look... Ah started ta see how much ya resented being under ya family's thumb, but yet ya stayed outta this warped sense o' duty to tha people who'd gave ya tha only family ya'd ever known... An' Ah realized that ya were jus' like me, before Ah found tha X-men. Ah watched tha struggle in ya eyes. Then when Ah absorbed ya... Ah got tha rest.

"Remy," she continued, "Ya gotta realize everything ya thought ya felt fo' me, it wasn't real. Ah represented freedom ta ya, that's what'ca fell in love with. Not plain old me. Ya don' know plain ol' me."

Remy smiled but shook his head nonetheless, "I'm inclined t' disagree wit' dat. Dere was yo' sass, yo' ability t'take care o yo'self, ya complete intolerance fo' other people's bullshit, de ways yo' eyes sparkled when yo' were determined... T'ings yo' can' fake. Rogue, I could go on." he whispered, stroking her cheek with his finger, "But if yo need proof, den I'm willin' t'do dat."

Rogue shook her head, "Ya don' know me." she repeated.

Gambit smiled broader, "Den let's start over, De name's Gambit." he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her bare knuckles. "But yo' can call me Remy."

Rogue made a face, but eventually signed in resignation, fighting a smile that twinged on her lips, "Everyone jus' calls me Rogue. If ya earn it though, Ah'll tell ya my real name."

~Fin (Again)~

* * *

 **A/N: AANNNDDD with this strikingly similar Alt. Ending, I have officially given you everything I have on this story from Gambit's POV. (In my original version Rogue lead Remy on quite a bit, but I didn't like that characterization so I changed it hence the unrequited love comment.)**

 **Oh, and I'm sorry to report that I do not have plans for a sequel at the moment, only a Companion Piece.  
**

 **I truly hope everyone enjoyed this story!  
Again, Thank You to Everyone for reading!  
**


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